Has anyone had any dealings with Whittles Strata Managers? Interested in hearing from you. [}
]hi johnny
yes i have how can i help
regards
alfHi Alf
I’ve experienced nothing but problems with this company. They seem to be really disorganised and continually attempt to put bandaids over their own internal problems. I’ve also heard that other strata owners have had similar experiences. [}
]Have you had any problems with this company?
Hi,
They manage the Body Corp for my IP here in Darwin. Can’t say I’ve had any serious problems with them, but my Tennant has had a few things to say. For example, the combination to the Security gate was supposed to be changed (the whole street knew it), well it took them weeks to get it done.
They seem happy to take the money, but I don’t see much of it being spent to keep the place in order.
Cheers
Hi Johnny
My IP is managed by another Strata Manager but have also found them to be less than interested in keeping fees and costs down. They seem to encourage interaction as it obviously generates a fee everytime. On top of this they also seem to be less than helpful or experienced with regards to the intricacies of owners rights and responsibilities in a strata block. I suppose one should not expect more from them as they often have no limit to which they can run up these fees especially with regard to letters and taking phone calls etc. I don’t think that you would kind many good managers who were not out to increase revenue but please help change my mind anyone!Hi Dram and HousesOnly [
]
I agree with everything that you’ve both said. Luckily enough, the SA Government is looking into many of the current problems associated with strata ownership in this State, particularly in regard to strata assistants (I don’t want to use the word “managers” because that would only help to strengthen the false impression that they were actually capable of performing that task) and is looking for public comment. Hopefully, our Government can tighten up our laws in this State because a good dose of epsom salts is long overdue.
I’m sorry that I can’t provide any details of the Government department or person who’s compiling the submissions, as I only found out about the Government’s plans whilst watching the tail end of the ABC News and couldn’t write down the details. I have contacted the ABC, in this regard and will keep anyone who is interested posted.Would also like to hear from any other people who have had similar experiences with Whittles, and strata assistants generally. [
]hi johnny
i can’t say that i have had problems with whittles myself.
kind regards
alfHi Alf
Do you work for Whittles or are you a strata owner?
If you’re a strata owner then how long have you had them assisting your corporation?
hi johnny
no i dont work for whittles and i am a strata owner.
like anything do your own research and ask a few different ones.
I apersonally found whittles helpful on a couple of matters that needed to be fixed.
Have you had a bad experience?
what is your reason for asking?
regards
alfFurther to my original posting dated 16/08/2003.
The South Australian Government is presently looking for responses to their “Discussion Paper on Body Corporate Managers” with the view toward “Possible Regulation of Body Corporate Managers”. [
]According to the “Discussion Paper” – from 1997 to 30 June 2003, the Magistrates Court has heard 219 cases regarding the Strata Titles and Community Titles Acts. [}
]If you’re interested in getting a copy of the “Possible Regulation of Body Corporate Managers, Discussion Paper”, then please download it from http://www.justice.sa.gov.au/ (follow the link to “News”) and either (1) post your responses to the South Australian Attorney-Generals Department, Policy and Legislation Section, G.P.O. Box 464, Adelaide SA 5001. or (2) fax your responses to (08) 8204 1337 or (3) email your responses to the [email protected]. [
]All inquiries should be directed to Shane Sody on (08) 8207 1851.
I hope that some good will come out of these discussions and that something can be done to either curb the shonky practices of some strata “assistants” or better still – to completely drum them out of the business. This review must be welcomed by all South Australian strata owners and is long overdue. [
]Yes I have had problems with Whittles. For example, our manager obtained a quote for termite erradication. We didn’t approve the work to be done but he went ahead anyway. When we complained he wrote back a very patronising and petty letter stating that we shouldn’t expect him to do anything outside of turn up once a year for the AGM. Use another company if you have the choice.
I have Whittles as Body Corp for my unit in Alice Springs. The main problem we had a few years ago was that someone did some dodgy accounting and used up our sinking fund. We now have an extra $40 to fees to top it up again.
Other than that, average overall.
Cheers
“Looking forward to the day when I can tell the boss where to go”
whittle’s are in charge of my property in darwin as well. theres an abondoned car in the car park, which they wont get rid of. we ended up coming to an agreement where they will do all the legwork and i would pay for it separetly. i should have just taken off the number plates and pushed the damn thing onto the street.
found them nice enough people but not much in the way of actually doing anything.
cheers
shaunLead, Follow or get out of the bloody way
yes i believe WHITTLES do nothing charge you for water we have no garden
charge for power the lights dont work
the path has been damaged by another builder back in june 2007 nothing done
pay sinking money nothing to sink
what a joke
and send bills before anything happen so you are always 3 mths ahead
i rang them up and nothing has happened sent emails and nothing has happened
complete jokeWell, what does your body corporate do for you? They are the ones who instruct your strata managers , seek appropriate advice from 'the experts' and pay their bills.
Your BC must be useless if it expects that the SM who may visit just before AGM to know what is going on if it isn't kept informed. If contractors who have been engaged by the SM on behalf of the BC (and yourself) aren't performing, have the BC send a rocket up the contractor, they have after all paid for the services (with your funds). The same goes for the SM, have them put on notice by the BC, call tenders prior to the next AGM for SM services.
As for paying water rates, there must be some common area in the building eg carpark or a car wash bay, foyers etc where someone may use a hose to wash things down. They can't bill you without having had a bill from the water supplier.
If you aren't happy with the actions of the BC do something about it, be part of the solution don't just complain about it, take on a role within body corporate so that you can have your say and direct how funds are spent (based on the budgets prepared by the SM).
I have used whittles for my 2 IP for over 5 years. they are always helpful when i call for assistance, never received any extra charges for that service. the PM arranges the AGM every year without fail and the pro-active owners attend and we always have a positive meeting. To be honest though I could never understand the real reason we have to pay for a PM company other than as a mediator and independent holder of our funds if required. No reflection on Whittles here however. I see a tax benefit with the fees.
Whittles,
I have crossed paths with them a few times over different issues. Most of the time they seem okay but every once in a while they do a major stuff up. When they change staff I always have to explain that I'm O/S and don't attend meetings. It is there responsibility to send any information to me by email and I will decide my vote. One smart one decided they would impose a penalty if I didn't attend meetings. After a quick chat he saw the errors of his ways and now leaves me alone.
I have always believed that a Body Corporate management company is only as good as the chairperson and committee as elected by the owners at the AGM. It is this committee that drives the show and instructs the BC Management company on all issues pertaining to the complex. If this committee is slack and don't care then they only have themselves to blame. In my experience, most people who winge about BC Managers are not members of their BC and are not pro-active in looking after their complex and therefore their investment.
i am also very unhappy with the whittles corp and their skills and feel they are not of high quality.
i have always had problems in my property in reference to common groud parking. Rules were assigned for the convenience of all tennants/owners however have never been upheld and there is no accountability.
My friends are also frustrated with parking in this area and one requested details of the strata manager to email her frustration as it was an ongoing problem. I provided her the name of my strata manager and corporation, she email him and then i received an email stating if i ever gave out his details to a third party he would charge me extra.
Felt this was absolutely ridiculous and would argue that as my strata manager if i can not go to him with any problems then who do i turn to for support.and what do they get paid for?
D
Whittles… my oh my, where do I begin… I have been and still am extremely unhappy with Whittles (in particular Alice Springs) and while I complain about it we have no choice in Alice Springs… there is no other body corporate manager in town so everyone who owns a unit here is stuck with the unprofessional, inadequate and over priced "non-service".
Believe me, if there was another body corp manager in town and they actually conduct a service and look after the body corporate members then they will achieve a great deal of business in a short amount of time.
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