site.btaNational Ombudsman Makes Six Recommendations about Amending Condominium Property Management Act

December 23 (BTA) - National Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva
has sent a letter to Regional Development and Public Works
Minister Petya Avramova containing six recommendations about
amending the Condominium Property Management Act, the
Ombudsman's Office reported on Monday.

In the letter, Kovacheva argued that there are still many
problems concerning the relations between the owners of homes in
 condominium buildings, on the one hand, and the central and
local government authorities, on the other hand, and also among
the owners themselves.

She recommended giving more powers to the local authorities to
exercise control in cases when the self-regulation principle
(the main principle in this law) cannot be applied. She noted
that home owners often fail to reach agreement and to manage the
 condominium property well. This causes tensions among the
occupants. Therefore, the local authorities should act as an
arbiter in such disputes.

Kovacheva further called for relaxed quorum requirements for the
 general meetings of home owners and the decisions made during
such meetings. She sees a need for better regulation of the
financial contributions for the management and maintenance of a
condominium building from home owners who are not resident in
the building. Under the current law, such owners are not obliged
 to make contributions, which can lead to unfair distribution of
 expenses.

The National Ombudsman said that the Regional Development and
Public Works Ministry's bill to amend the Condominium Property
Management Act was never put up for public consultation,
although the deadline for proposals expired on April 15. RI/VE

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