Galway Bay Cottages IRE - Help with sudden increase in maintenance fee

[joycapecod]

Today I sent the following email to the "management" let's see if I receive an answer.

Does the following exist for the Galway Bay Owners Association? If so please provide in a timely manner.

1) Constitution or other governing instrument
2) List of officers
3) Minutes of meetings (and when and where those meeting were held and if notification was sent to owners)
4) The number of owners by status (current, delinquent)
5) Contact info for all members of the association
6) Full balance sheet (not just the projected expenses for the coming years)
7) Listing of available weeks for sale and how those units are being marketed
8) Resort management contract 45K Euros...to whom is that paid?
9) Auto expenses of 1K Euro...I was unaware the cottages had a vehicle available...to whom is that paid?

In regard to the 2013 budget, do you have the previous years actual balance sheets by line item (maybe a tax filing for the Association)? The 90K Euros...is that a one time expense (Sewer, roofing etc since you are showing the total cost as 180K Euro) or is that expected to continue as yearly expenses?

After this huge maintenance fee payment to cover these additional expenses, will the fees return to more palatable rate?

Also, an accounting of all income sources besides the M/F, such as unit sales, rentals, interest income, late fees, including what happened to the monies from the sale of the 2 units that were listed for sale through Barna Estates LTD (and shown as sold).

I am unable to make a determination if I want return the unit to the Association, or pay the fees until these questions are addressed. To be frank, your accounting does not add up. Without a balance sheet, and documentation this huge increase in fees appears to be a tactic to have owners default and the Association take possession of the defaulted units.

Best regards,

[Carolinian]

Good move, Joy. That is exactly what is needed.

Another European group that may be helpful is TATOC (The Asssociation of Timeshare Owners Committees) at www.tatoc.co.uk I don't know how much they might get involved, but it is worth a shot.

I think more exposure of this issue of the European board www.timesharetalk.co.uk might also bring out some insight into Irish law that might be helpful. I know that there are some active or retired lawyers who post there. The important thing here is to get all the solid info you can as to your options.

[senorSamba]

I sent a similar letter over a week ago and have yet to receive a response.

I sent a followup this AM.

I wonder if it's time to contact the State Attorney in MA?

[joycapecod]

I received a long reply from the current owners that has helped me to understand what has really happened over the years. I truly believe that the heirs are doing their best and more to try to make a go of this.

The funds received from the sale of the two cottages went to the benefit of the other cottages and if not for the failure of the septic and repairs due to age the fees would likely be more in line with what we have paid in the past.

It seems Kevin is working his hardest to right as many of the short falls as possible and is thinking that once this large bill is paid and this budget funded and the sewer connected and the structures re-roofed (is that a word?) then the worse will be over.

I am willing to pay and see how this goes. I have stayed at the cottages once several years ago and found them comfy, but I could see then that work needed to be done and that was at least 5 years ago.

Other owners, please add your thoughts.

Joy

[Carolinian]

Hopefully, this is accurate. If so, the big failure here is communication. Why did they not lay that out in detail in their first letter? I was on a timeshare board that had a special assessment in the first few months I was on it. We laid it out in detail for the members, with the reasons for it. In our governing instruments, we had to get a majority vote from the membership, and we ended up with a unanimous vote. It is all about communication. Also, much of this should have been set out as a special assessment, not rolled into the maintenance fees. As a special assessement, members can see that it is a one-off charge for a special emergency purpose. As a maintenance fee increase, they fear it will be permanent.

Even if the ifnances are squeakly clean, that is an area there needs to be complete communication with members, and every year, not just when there is an emergency.

Then there is governance. Even if the management company is the second coming of Mother Theresa, there simply needs to be a homeowner committee with its hand in the process. That is democracy, but it is also good timeshare management. An elected board putting its stamp of approval on these emergency expenses would go a long way to increasing the comfort level of members.

I received a long reply from the current owners that has helped me to understand what has really happened over the years. I truly believe that the heirs are doing their best and more to try to make a go of this.

The funds received from the sale of the two cottages went to the benefit of the other cottages and if not for the failure of the septic and repairs due to age the fees would likely be more in line with what we have paid in the past.

It seems Kevin is working his hardest to right as many of the short falls as possible and is thinking that once this large bill is paid and this budget funded and the sewer connected and the structures re-roofed (is that a word?) then the worse will be over.

I am willing to pay and see how this goes. I have stayed at the cottages once several years ago and found them comfy, but I could see then that work needed to be done and that was at least 5 years ago.

Other owners, please add your thoughts.

Joy

[Ireland's Call]

I live in Dublin...if I can assist pls email me on garrycullen1@gmail.com
Thanks
Garry

[senorSamba]

Did you folks send in your maintenance fees?

[furbo]

has anyone heard anything new?

[senorSamba]

Latest is they are planning on selling to a UK timeshare developer. Looks like this years maint fees will stand. But next year the new developer will lower back to reasonable levels in order to sell units.

They will be sending out a letter soon.

So, it sounds like good news. We'll see. I still haven't paid yet.

[Carolinian]

It depends on who the new developer is. You could be out of the frying pan and into the fire! As part of the process, I would suggest that owners band together and demand a member-controlled HOA board.

Latest is they are planning on selling to a UK timeshare developer. Looks like this years maint fees will stand. But next year the new developer will lower back to reasonable levels in order to sell units.

They will be sending out a letter soon.

So, it sounds like good news. We'll see. I still haven't paid yet.