McCarthy calls for mediation for apartment owners

Alliance MLA Kieran McCarthy has appeared before the Finance and Personnel committee at Stormont to answer questions on his private members bill on management companies in apartments. He told the committee that if his bill is passed, apartment owners and management companies would be able to resolve problems through mediation conferences.

Kieran McCarthy said: “I am delighted with the reception I received at the committee today, the bill appeared to have been warmly received.

“The committee recognised the need for an urgent resolution of the problems affecting apartment owners and some management companies. I have been told of some buildings that are in an appalling condition despite management companies being paid large sums of money to maintain these communal areas

“One solution to the problems I have discovered in this sector is to enable the courts to establish mediation conferences for disputing apartment owners and management companies.

“This area of law has been ignored in Northern Ireland while neighbouring regions have addressed these problems in recent years. It is about time the legislation was brought up to standard.”

ENDS