A snag over strata titles

21/01/2008 The Star By Bavani M.

According to Villa OUG Residents Association chairman Gary Choong, the residents received a letter on October 2007 stating that their application for strata titles had been approved but it could only be released after the company managing the condominium releases the management accounts.

“Our titles are ready but the problem right now is that the previous owner of Villa OUG, which is the Selangor State owned Kumpulan Hartanah Sdn Bhd (KHSB), sold the property to GMB Construction last year,'' he said.

“But the management company SAP Urus Harta Sdn Bhd, which is managing Villa OUG is a sister company of KHSB and for some reason only known to them, they are holding back the management accounts,'' said Choong.

He said GMB Construction had written many times to the management company requesting for the accounts.

Why are we waiting?: Villa OUG residents discussing their next course of action with Kok (third from right) and Choong (fourth from left)

However, that is not their only problem. The management company has also stopped paying the contractors servicing the condominium.

According to the cleaning company owner who only wised to be identified as Madam Tan, the company owes her four months salary, totalling RM18,000.

“I haven’t been paid and I have staff to pay. If they don't pay me I may have to withdraw my services,'' she said.

Choong said the cleaning company was not the only one that had not been paid. He said the security services and swimming pool maintenance contractor had also not received their payment for services rendered and are considering leaving.

“What is strange is that the management company is still collecting the maintenance fees from us and we are paying on time,'' he said.

“We want our strata titles as soon as possible because we can then manage our property and I believe we can do a better job .''

“It is shameful that a government owned company can practice such unethical tactics when they should be setting an example,'' added Choong.

A spokesman for GMB Construction said he had advised the Villa OUG Residents Association to form their own management corporation as soon as possible since the strata titles had been issued.

“I have advised them to get a lawyer to help them with the paper work and get their lawyer to meet with the management company,'' said the spokesman, adding that he had also met up with people from the management company requesting that the matter be resolved as soon as possible.

When contacted, an officer from SAP Urus Harta Sdn Bhd, said that they were in the process of auditing the accounts and would be facilitating the residents request for the strata titles soon.

“We apologise for the delay. Once that is sorted out, the issue of payment to the service contractors would also be sorted out,'' he said.

Meanwhile, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said she would help arrange for a meeting between the residents, new owner and the management company.