Condo Association Management Blog

You should first be very certain you are on legal ground. It's best to first try to work out the issues before you leap.  
 
Then ask yourself, has the manager been appropriately informed/noticed with regard to your dissatisfaction?  
 
Are there enough DOCUMENTED incidents that warrant the dismissal? 
 
Are all, or a majority of property owners in agreement?  
 
Have you had a "sit-down"... one-on-one with the assigned manager, and his superiors in the property management company. 
 
Finally, have you read the contract between the association and the management company? There are escape clauses in every contract. It may be as simple as firing an at-will employee... 
 
or, it may require some specified written notice. 
 
Make sure you're covered legally, and when your certain you are, find another company first. Or, if you have decided just to hire an onsite manager, find him/her first before you proceed.

Since the Property Manager works for the Board of the Association have you discussed your concerns with the Directors? 

In Massachusetts, any condominium management compnay can be terminated on 90 days or less notice without casue or 10 days notcie with right to cure for cause. 
 
But board would make that decision. Is board as disgruntled as the owners? 
 
And Sara C's advice about discussing the concerns with the manager, etc.would be a reasonable first step. 
 
 
 
Stephen Marcus 
 
Marcus Errico 
 
Braintree, Massachusetts

The directors or officers of the corporation would make that determination.  
 
It is difficult for condominium owners to realize, but the decisions are made by the board and implemented by the manager. What is your dissatisfaction? If your dissatisfaction is service, than that is an issue the board should know so that they can take corrective action. There are too many unknowns here. I have had people that wanted me fired because I "did a bad job" in their eyes - and after investigation, the bad job was me telling them something they did not want to hear. Dissatisfaction about my performance is often tied to unpopular decisions. There are times where mistakes are made - a phone call returned later than it should have been, or missed, or a work order forgotten. I had one homeowner stand up at an annual meeting and rail about how awful I was because they had called in a work order and it got missed. Fortunately, I then had five people stand up and dispute that experience. Before you go to the board (and I would go to a board meeting, not just one board member) write out your issues and give examples. Review them to see if the expectations are reasonable and are association responsibilities. Do NOT attempt to speak for your neighbors. Unless you have a signed letter, petition or document, you have not been elected to do so and have no idea if their issue really bothers them that much or if they were just commiserating with you. However, you can speak to them and ask them if they would do the same and give it to you or if they would go with you to give their examples. Another option is to contact the management agent and discuss your issues with them before going to the board. That person may not even be aware of your issue. You may be suprised at the response! 
 
Remember, the board is looking at the performance from a different standpoint - if the items they direct being done are being done, if they can work with that person in the interest of the Association and if the membership overall is satisfied with the service.

First, I want to Thank All of you! 
 
Details re: property mgt co: I have been on the agenda many times 
 
at board meetings w/ rep from prop. 
 
mgt present. Prop mgmt has violated 
 
by-laws and pushed them thru to board members. I have eloquently with pictures and documents presented all violations (from our by-law book)to board and rep. As one example, the board approved an increase in condo fees Dec 2, 2009. 
 
In by-law book, we as unit owners are to have rcvd notice within 15 days. (Dec 17.) We as unit owners did not rcv that info until end of Dec packaged in w/ their monthly newsletter. In addition, in monthly newsletter, no minutes of the meeting presented for past year. So, we as unit owners, are being witheld what is going on. 
 
I could go on and on..just a few examples. The VP of the Board is on my side and I turned him onto another property mgt co. He was excited to have talked with them..yet, other board members did not want to get rid of current prop 
 
co. So, where now? Can I write a petition and have it signed by other unit owners? 
 
 
 
Many thanks! 
 
Melinda

Great comment, Joe. But what do you suggest in the case that the property manager and the board president are hiding the dissatisfaction of the members from the few that attend board meetings. Our association is being "ruled" by a tyrant manager who is a resident owner also. His wife is the sales leasing agent. The manager brags at board meetings that only 3% (of 488 owners) are dissatisfied with him and he could care less about them. 3% equals approximately 17 owners. More owners than that have come to me to express their dissatisfaction. The rosy picture painted at board meetings and put into board minutes is fiction but, since we have a great deal of investor owned units, those owners who are not on property every day and who do not witness the management by intimidation methods used at our development, are forced to rely on the fiction published aka our meeting minutes.