If you live in an apartment building, chances are that every 6 months or so, you are required to pay body corporate fees to the building. Whilst most begrudgingly fork the money out for body corporate fees, most don’t actually know or realize where their money is being used. In today’s article, we have a look at what the purpose of a body corporate manager is and how they are expected to utilize your money to improve, upgrade and maintain the standards of the building you live in. Read on to find out more!
1. A Business Manager For The Community
The body corporate manager is often described to be the business manager for your community. He or she is the person who is in charge of maintaining records, finances and regular reports to the committee made up of owners about important matters that may need decisions to be made or solutions to be made available. This can include matters that pertain to the maintenance of the building, troublesome tenants or even advising the committee about matters of corporate governance.
2. Ensuring The Maintenance of Common Areas
One of the biggest responsibilities that a body corporate manager is in charge of in ensuring that all common areas in your apartment building or housing estate are kept clean and in well-maintained conditions at all times. This can include areas such as common corridors, lobbies, concierge areas, swimming pools, gyms, car parks, lifts and mailbox areas. The body corporate manager is expected to always have these areas looking spick and span, as well as ensuring that everything is in working order.
3. Maintaining Building Laws
Most apartment buildings and complexes often have a list of rules that residents have to adhere to. Some of these rules may include noise ordinances, positive behaviour in common spaces, keeping common areas clean and ensuring that property is not damaged both inside and outside the apartment. The building manager is in charge of ensuring that residents abide by these rules that have been set by the body corporate. If the building manager finds that certain individuals are not adhering to rules or in breach of their lease, they are in charge of forwarding the matter to the owners’ corporation for further action to be taken.
4. Exercising Executive Committee Member Powers
The body corporate manager is authorized to perform the duties of secretary and treasurer that include sending out levy notices and by-law contravention notices, sending out the minutes of meetings and managing the body corporate’s finances. The body corporate manager, if authorized to exercise a chairperson’s powers, can also assist in taking up the role of the chairperson should the spot be vacant during meetings.
5. Managing Social Issues
The body corporate manager is also in charge of managing issues that may arise between residents and neighbours. He or she is expected to manage disputes and find resolutions to them whenever possible. Do take note that the body corporate manager is not in charge of handling serious issues which should otherwise be forwarded to the relevant authorities. He or she is often just a mediator for any small issues that may arise between neighbours, staff or residents.
6. Manage Administrative Funds
Lastly, a body corporate manager can also be asked to manage funds. In certain scenarios, a body corporate manager is authorized to look after the body corporate’s administrative and sinking funds. If this is the case, the manager is required to balance the sheet within 21 days after the last day of each month for all accounts. Some of these accounts include financial institution statements, invoices and any other documents that show the movement of funds in and out of the accounts for that particular month.
The role of a body corporate manager is one that is incredibly diverse and stretched out over a multitude of various responsibilities. We hope that this article has given you some insight into the purpose of a body corporate manager.
