Question: What can owners do if the body corporate manager ignores a committee decision to lodge an insurance claim for building damage?
Our unit block has damage that we reported four months ago and again six weeks ago. The body corporate manager has not replied and continues to ignore our emails and calls.
The committee agreed to lodge an insurance claim, but the manager refuses to acknowledge this decision.
What steps can I take to ensure the damage is repaired through insurance?
Answer: Try contacting the managing agency’s principal.
If you are not getting any response from your manager, you probably need to take things into your own hands.
As a starting point, try contacting the managing agency’s principal. That is your manager’s boss. Contact details are often listed on the company’s website, and reputable companies should respond to complaints promptly. Other people in the agency may be unaware that the manager isn’t assisting you, and they should pick up the slack once they are aware of the issue.
You can also contact your broker or insurer directly to file a claim. If you are unsure who this is, review your last meeting or insurance documents, and you should be able to find the relevant company names. At a minimum, you should be able to obtain a claims form from the broker or insurer and initiate a claim that way.
If it is a matter of arranging repairs, the committee can engage contractors directly for works relating to the common property. The committee can request quotes and book works just as your body corporate manager does – by making phone calls, sending emails, and issuing work orders. You need to make sure there is committee agreement over the works and that you are within spending limits, but if the manager can do it, so can you.
After that, you may need to consider your relationship with your managing agency. If you can’t get help from your manager over critical issues, then that’s usually a breaking point. Perhaps it’s time to speak to some alternatives and see what your options are.
William Marquand
Tower Body Corporate
E: willmarquand@towerbodycorporate.com.au
P: 07 5609 4924
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