The Sweet Service Award goes to KONG Bar & Grill in De Waterkant, where I have watched the last two Rugby World Cup matches, have eaten a dinner, and went to dance yesterday evening. The service by the managers Dave Mitchell and Grant Grobbellar is beyond standard, always friendly, and checking that all is in order. Their chefs are amazing and last night sent a complimentary plate of Valrhona chocolate and beetroot as well as a cinnamon ice creams to where I was dancing upstairs, knowing my weakness for ice cream.
The Sour Service Award goes to Sandak-Lewin Trust property management company. I have had the displeasure of dealing with the company since I moved into my apartment 15 months ago. Invoice queries are not replied to, maintenance issues are ignored, emails are ignored, and bias demonstrated in sensitive Body Corporate politics. While the service was not great when Werner Schoonraad looked after our block, it has sunk to a new low since Greg Anderson took over our block as portfolio manager six months ago. He has refused to meet with me or to visit our block, or to meet our Building Manager, who is meant to report to the portfolio manager. Anderson treats us women Trustees/owners disrespectfully, forcing decisions as to which quotes to accept for repair work, a shocking chauvinistic action. All correspondence regarding my complaints about the dreadful Service, addressed to its MD Carl Smit, has been completely ignored to date!
The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog. Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at chrisvonulmenstein [at] gmail.com. Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog.
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein
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This is nothing,
Sandak Lewin published financials of arrears tennants in our block and distributed it.
They even aired peoples private summons for arrears in that publishment
Now they put it on a public Chat group…Privacy Act means nothing.
The best part, the tenant pays part of its levy to CSOS, which is a support system for the Body corporate, not the tenant. Found that out in email today.
They are shocking, the rot starts right at the top. We have not heard from our Portfolio Manager this year yet! No reply to emails!
YES, 100%. Recently done at our premises as well. Another parties City of Cape Town electricity account was pinned on the public notice board in the foyer. PIPO Act disrespected. Please read my reply to Chris Ulmenstein.
Sandak-Lewin are a disgrace. If you pay your bill a few days late, you receive an invoice with a Debt Collection fee added to it. I have asked multiple times by email what this “debt collection fee” is for. Their response is to say, we added it to your bill, before we got your Proof of Payment (even though these crossed in email).
When I asked what the fee covers – silence. From my perspective this is absolute theft. There is no email to say “did you forget to pay?”, or any form of reminder. If you pay a few days late, they slap on this fee. There are no phone calls, no actual debt collection of any form, other than an email.
These people have been charging daylight robbery rates in our building for electricity. There is a “fee” of R2500 for collection each month. When people eventually refused to pay during Covid, they found another company who miraculously now read the meters for less.
I have applied to their MD and their “service people” (what a joke) – to ask if we can install a prepaid meter. It is nearly 8 months later, and we cannot get a proper reply.
Thank you for this feedback Barry. They are shocking. Unprofessional in preferring to deal with the agreeing Trustees instead of questioning ones like myself. I wonder what kickbacks they make out of repair and maintenance suppliers.
Good afternoon, Chris
My sentiments have been presented very clearly on this site by all participants offering their feedback. My “good fortune” was having my perfectly constructed original balcony ripped out and ruined, because of decisions made by trustees and the SLT alike, despite my refusal to allow same. Both parties bend all rules to suit themselves. Power hungry trustees wanting to control others, most of whom do not understand the very basic rules and concepts of the difficult and comprehensive Sectional Title Act. The property administrators and the trustees are mostly useless and unbearable. They have little to no clue of the intricacies of Sectional Title Law. My story continues, but is too long for publication purposes. I feel that perhaps we could and should make an arrangement to meet and to possibly speak to legally appointed attorneys who specialise in Sectional Title Law. Every single comment I have read on this site is 100% correct. It would be very nice to hear from you and any other parties suffering the same fate(s). A class action could change the situation overall and be the way to go to enable all of us to put an end to this manner of crooked business practices.
You are 100% correct. The recent repairs at our premises went on for additional weeks, the results are poor, my questions remain ignored and were disregarded, my window pane as well as my lamp on the balcony were broken by said contractors. I fought to have the costs repaid to me, but they are refusing to reimburse me the costs of repairing a window broken by the appointed service provider, who as so often the case, are not registered correctly in accordance with the government statutes. I did establish that the workers have every cost deducted from their wages, which is highly unacceptable illegal to the core. Please see my comment to Chris von Ulmenstein below.
You are absolutely correct. Thievery is the name of the game. I am still awaiting a reply as to whether the R60.00 is paid into the Body Corporate account at our block of flats, or if this money flows into the Sandak Lewin Trust account. The Sandak Lewin Trust remains deceitful and dishonourable in their dealings with Body Corporate members. Furthermore, the are already being paid to administer the block, why should they pocket R60.00?