Could this work?
By admin | March 5th, 2009 | Category: Past Articles | 3 commentsWe all know that Solitaire Property Management provide us with a service that is almost as good as a chocolate teapot!
With support gathering to prove that we are all not alone in the issue of Solitaire being so inept in their job, it has got me thinking in reference to the possibility of supporters of TheTruthAboutSolitaire – collectively setting up a company to manage our developments?
I’ve been forwarded some interesting information into the processes behind ‘Rights to Manage’ and I see no reason why a non-profit organisation / group could not be setup to replace Solitaire?
If a non-profit organisation was initially created and made up of residents, those developments that look to ‘RTM’ could request the non-profit organisation to maintain their site, rather than setup their own.
We could then share information to sites that want the RTM and sign it over to us – residents would be involved, and each development would then have a single person onsite responsible for reporting and make note of issues.
It’s a bit like the Internet Website: myfootballclub – that managed to get members of the public to raise funds and buy Ebbsfleet Town FC. If any decisions are made, they have to consult the shareholders – those being Mr Joe Public!
I’m speaking outloud when I type the above, but I welcome anyone’s thoughts. As you can see the prospect of paying more monies to Solitaire this month is depressing enough!
In principle this could work, similar to US arrangements involving apartment block. However, non-profit would imply the staff of such an organistation would not recieve any pay for their work. It would literally be a labour of love, overseen by non-qualified volunteers. Also, geographically, legally and logistically, it could prove to be quite a significant task. Are we sufficiently clued up to do this ourselves? Would we be any better than Solitaire?
One of our main complaints about Solitaire is their lack of attention to local issues, their detachment, buerocracy and sheer ineptitude. I’m not so sure we could live up to our own standards if, en masse, we formed our own company to replace them.
Our development is already quite far along the RTM process and already has a locally based property manager lined up, so we wouldn’t be able to join such an initiative.
Personally I favour RTM by each development with a local property management company replacing Solitaire – a company directly accountable to the residents, locally based with lower overheads, small, flexible and more responsive to our needs.
Where I do consider collective action could be helpful is to mount a joint defence of any legal actions brought by Solitaire, in order to ensure all of our disputes are heard by the same court by the same judge. Otherwise, individual actions across the country could result in disparate and unfair judgements against residents and Solitaire’s shocking overall performance will remain unquestioned in Court.
This sounds like a good idea. With so many unhappy people paying money for services they do not get, together we should be able to do something to end our torment. This is one way. Maybe a large meeting somewhere central on a weekend where we could all get together to formulate a plan. Maybe a rally outside there headquarters in the old fashioned way could be another. There is strength in numbers. Together we must be able to get them out!
Jon I think its a brave idea. The only issue i would have is that only myself and one other resident in the block have done anything about Solitaire, everybody else just sits there and takes it. If they have such apathy to the services they pay for, I can only imagine what they are actually like when it comes to paying the bills and getting involved in decisions.
Maybe the better option is to fine the “best of breed” and offer them the Solitaire business and work with them to get as many devgelopments as possible transferred over; in exchange for a better service and preferential rates.