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Umbrella body for apartments
02/04/2009 The Star By ZULKIFLY MOHAMAD
DEVELOPERS of 86 apartments and flats have applied to the Seberang Prai
Municipal Council in Penang to form the Joint Management Body (JMB) to
streamline the management and maintenance of their buildings.
Council president Farizan Darus said the setting up of the JMC was required
under the Building and Common Property Act 2007 and Strata Ownership Act.
He said it was important for developers to form the body as it was the first
process of handing over the management and maintenance of premises to
owners.
“We hope developers and owners will take this seriously as it is an offence
not to set up the JMB which is aimed at putting in order the maintenance and
management of high-rise dwellings, especially with regards to the collection
of maintenance fees.
“Developers are given a year from the construction of their high-rise
projects to form JMB,” he said.
“Once the JMB is set up, it is the duty of developers and owners to set up
the management corporation,” he said.
“This will enable owners to have full control of the maintenance and
management of their premises,” he told reporters after opening a briefing on
JMCs at the council’s headquarters on Thursday.
Farizan said based on the council’s record, there were 521 high-rise
buildings on the mainland, adding that 355 of the premises had applied to
set up management corporations while 71 had their JMB applications
registered.
He said the delay in the setting up of the JMB was due to the issue of
maintenance fees as developers or their agents were always at loggerheads
with unit owners over the matter.
“There are cases whereby residents accused developers of not maintaining
their premises well while developers blame residents for their refusal to
settle their maintenance dues.
“We hope this issue can be settled amicably between them as such disputes
will delay the formation of the JMB,” he said. |
