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Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

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Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by the lynx » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 9:07 am

I had a conversation with a group of friends who live in Reflections@Keppel Bay. They were fuming mad because of a new rule by the management that all residents have to pay $30 (non-refundable) to use BBQ pit, on top of the $200 deposit (refundable). Previously, only $200 deposit was required to book the pit and there was already an existing rule that a resident can only book a pit once a month.

They already had to pay $1 each way for the shuttle bus between the condo and Harbourfront Centre since last year. Previously it was for free and the shuttle bus included stops at Telok Blangah MRT station. Now they killed that stop and it is just Harbourfront.

And residents also have to pay $50 to use multi-purpose hall, on top of that usual $200 deposit.

Next they might install a EZ-link card reader at the entrance of gym and tennis courts to charge per entrance to use the gym and tennis courts. Not sure if they are going to pull it off for the pools as well.

I've never heard of a condo that does that to residents. Is it outrageous? Or is it actually more common than I thought?

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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by Barnsley » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 10:16 am

the lynx wrote:I had a conversation with a group of friends who live in Reflections@Keppel Bay. They were fuming mad because of a new rule by the management that all residents have to pay $30 (non-refundable) to use BBQ pit, on top of the $200 deposit (refundable). Previously, only $200 deposit was required to book the pit and there was already an existing rule that a resident can only book a pit once a month.

They already had to pay $1 each way for the shuttle bus between the condo and Harbourfront Centre since last year. Previously it was for free and the shuttle bus included stops at Telok Blangah MRT station. Now they killed that stop and it is just Harbourfront.

And residents also have to pay $50 to use multi-purpose hall, on top of that usual $200 deposit.

Next they might install a EZ-link card reader at the entrance of gym and tennis courts to charge per entrance to use the gym and tennis courts. Not sure if they are going to pull it off for the pools as well.

I've never heard of a condo that does that to residents. Is it outrageous? Or is it actually more common than I thought?
I suspect it will get more and more like that .....

EZ-link card readers everywhere would be a great idea ..... Full tracking in place , now Govt can see where you are in your free time as well....

To get into pubs/bars/clubs ............ awesome!!
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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by rajagainstthemachine » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 10:47 am

kinda defeats the purpose on spending a million plus on a condo and then having to pay for everything. but then again if you are a millionaire whats a dollar or thirty eh?
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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by ecureilx » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 12:11 pm

rajagainstthemachine wrote:kinda defeats the purpose on spending a million plus on a condo and then having to pay for everything. but then again if you are a millionaire whats a dollar or thirty eh?
if you are a millionaire, the last thing you want to do is to pay and pay, few I know prefer to pay lump sum

like a guy i know, if he can't find a cash card parking he will park in URA park minus a coupon and his secretary will pay the 30$ fine, as he can't be bothered to find a 7-11 and buy coupons ..

likewise, the condo should offer a fixed fee, unless the Management found a new way to earn áncilliary' income ..

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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by CaptainBullus » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 12:55 pm

so as a tenant would you have to pay this or could you claim this was part of the landlord's fees and claim them back? If I was paying a premium rent I would certainly not be happy at being charged over the odds. As an aside is it normal to pay a S$1000 'deposit' for furniture/IKEA deliveries?

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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by Addadude » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 2:00 pm

Paying fees to use condo facilities (on top of reclaimable deposits) is unusual. After all, owners pay regular management fees to ensure the facilities' upkeep. (For tenants, that management fee is supposed to be packaged into the rent they pay.)

It could well be that, due to Reflections still having many units unoccupied/unsold (if all the unlit apartments at night are anything to go by), the management committee is simply not receiving enough management fees to cover the cost of maintaining these facilities and are therefore resorting to these extra charges.

The issue with the feeder bus is not unusual. Most condos that provide a feeder bus service offer it free for the first year or so after TOP. But thereafter, it must be paid for. (You'll see this mentioned specifically in the fine print of every such condo's marketing brochure.)
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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by the lynx » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 2:09 pm

OK so paying for shuttle bus is not uncommon then.

Heard that the condo council members (which obviously consists of owners, not tenants) passed the directive to collect such fees.

I don't know if it is normal for a condo rental to include/exclude management fee, and if it is normally the landlord's responsibility to cover it or not. But let's say the tenants are, by norm, paying for management fee together with their rent, then they are getting double-whammy by having to pay for all these facilities on top of all these, no?

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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by rajagainstthemachine » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 2:28 pm

the lynx wrote:OK so paying for shuttle bus is not uncommon then.

Heard that the condo council members (which obviously consists of owners, not tenants) passed the directive to collect such fees.

I don't know if it is normal for a condo rental to include/exclude management fee, and if it is normally the landlord's responsibility to cover it or not. But let's say the tenants are, by norm, paying for management fee together with their rent, then they are getting double-whammy by having to pay for all these facilities on top of all these, no?
I thought in most cases the landlord coves the mgmt fees and the tenant just pays rent to the landlord.
any extra charges for condo facilities are supposed to be taken care by the tenant.
In any case I foresee this as a major pain in the bu** to anyone who wants to rent in such places.
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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by zzm9980 » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 4:19 pm

Barnsley wrote: EZ-link card readers everywhere would be a great idea ..... Full tracking in place , now Govt can see where you are in your free time as well....
They are already all over the place. They just don't "beep" and charge you as you walk past and get recorded.

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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by zzm9980 » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 4:24 pm

It makes sense to me if there is a high ratio of rental to owner occupied. Just like raising Income tax vs GST, The owners who aren't living in these rented units won't want to pay a higher monthly fee if they're not the ones using the facilities. Make it pay to play for those actually using them.

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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by Barnsley » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 4:51 pm

zzm9980 wrote:
Barnsley wrote: EZ-link card readers everywhere would be a great idea ..... Full tracking in place , now Govt can see where you are in your free time as well....
They are already all over the place. They just don't "beep" and charge you as you walk past and get recorded.
Excellent , can I request a document showing my movements in the past month :D
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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by rajagainstthemachine » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 4:56 pm

Barnsley wrote:
zzm9980 wrote:
Barnsley wrote: EZ-link card readers everywhere would be a great idea ..... Full tracking in place , now Govt can see where you are in your free time as well....
They are already all over the place. They just don't "beep" and charge you as you walk past and get recorded.
Excellent , can I request a document showing my movements in the past month :D
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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by nakatago » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 5:02 pm

FYI, there's an app for android that'll read your ezlink. NFC required.
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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by JR8 » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 5:03 pm

Barnsley wrote: Excellent , can I request a document showing my movements in the past month :D
EZ-Link card, SIM card, ... they already know where you are. Probably know what you're likely to be having for dinner too.

Bearing in mind that IT chap who got 'rubbed out' for revealing the extent to which citizens are monitored via the internet, a known known is that the gahmen believe they stay ahead of the game by shrouding such activities in the deepest of secrecy.
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Re: Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

Post by bgd » Thu, 05 Feb 2015 6:21 pm

JR8 wrote: Bearing in mind that IT chap who got 'rubbed out' for revealing the extent to which citizens are monitored via the internet, a known known is that the gahmen believe they stay ahead of the game by shrouding such activities in the deepest of secrecy.
Don't think I know that story. Do you have link?

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