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When the elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers!

This is a powerful and poignant African Proverb. In brief, it means when powerful forces go to war, it is their people who are hurt. Those who never asked for the conflict in the first place are caught, and killed in the crossfire.

Someone asked: “When there are 2 or more camps in the Council of a management corporation (MCST), what position should the appointed managing agent (MA) take?”

This is a very real question.

Perhaps, questions should first be turned around at the elected Council Members:

👉“Why is a subsidiary proprietor submitting himself for election to the Council?”

👉“When elected, what does as an elected Council Member want to achieve?”

The Council of an MCST is a representative body, elected from subsidiary proprietors or their nominees. The Council Members are deemed leaders of an MCST to lead the subsidiary proprietors for the collective interest of an MCST. There are commitments expected from every elected member of a Council. Like any other volunteer, Council Members are expected to cater time for reading mails, taking part in decision making and to attend Council Meetings.

Most Council Members are in full time career or business of their own fields, many unrelated to strata.  They may not have the knowhow and the benefit of time to physically manage a strata development. An MA is usually hired and expected to bring the knowhow and a certain level of professionalism. The appointed MA should guide and advise Councils in strata management, an attribute expected of any typical MA. This expectation is not unreasonable and especially needed for first time Councils. However, it may be possible only if the appointed MA is committed and has assembled a team with the necessary subject expertise and skillsets to manage the strata development.

More strata developments are built larger and more complex. A typical condo is now valued at more than $1m. Collectively, a strata development is valued at hundreds of million or may be even in billion dollars. These have not included the values of commercial and industrial strata developments. They are all high value assets.

✅️Anyone who profess to offer strata management service should therefore be trained. He should enrol himself for an Accreditation Course conducted by the Association of Strata Managers.

Business is crucial for the survival of any organisation. When there are different interests in a Council, how the appointed MA play its role will determine whether it is as independent as it claimed. ✅️An MA should be bold to speak its mind, notwithstanding its contract may be in threat.

👉Wisely 98 Pte Ltd is an Accredited Strata Firm. We believe strongly in the training of our staff.  We want to bring the competency and value to the table where we play an advisory and executive role while the Council, a decision maker.

And for those who are elected into the Council, it is mindful to note that while legal authority may grant it the right to rule an estate, it is really moral authority that rules.

If only all the stakeholders can take an interest in fulfilling their duties, the living standards at strata communities will most certainly be lifted.

#wisely98pteltd #stratamanagement #managingagent

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About the Author: Teo Poh Siang is the Founder of Wisely 98 Pte Ltd, an established company providing strata management services and training in Singapore and South-East Asia. He is the author of A Practical Guide to Strata Management in Singapore (1st and 2nd Editions). This is the first and only book in Singapore written by a strata practitioner. This book is available at www.wisely98.com/publications. Poh Siang is also an Accredited Strata Manager and a Registered Salesperson in real estate. He is currently taking a leadership position at the councils of two MCSTs and a strata association.

Contact teopohsiang@wisely98.com for more…