COMMUNITY LIVING
The relationship between a local municipality and a property developer usually starts off pretty rosy . Fuelled by a desire to do some good in the local community , both parties tend to come to a service agreement early on , which outlines the responsibility of each side when it comes to things like the installation of bulk services .
1 . Start talking
In the property market , good communication allows you to foster better relationships , which can go a long way in an industry where who you know often trumps what you know .
Things begin to unravel when the agreement ends , usually after construction is complete and the developer hands control over to the estate manger . The municipality is now not contractually obligated to provide the same standard and quality of service , which can become problematic .
‘ It is not their intention to not assist ,’ says Hannes Hendriks , community association manager at Pecanwood Estate in Broederstroom . ‘ I have had the opportunity to work in a municipality at the top management level , and understand their frustrations and challenges , as well as their roles and responsibilities . In my view , a municipality is as good as you allow them to be – you just need to work on those relationships ,’ he continues .
Hendriks suggests that estate managers should start by implementing an action plan to ensure that regular contact is made with the municipality and that these relationships are maintained and strengthened over time .
‘ Remember that you cannot expect the municipality to attend to a problem if you haven ’ t brought it to their attention ,’ he says .
Create an open channel of communication by inviting the mayor , municipal manager and councillors to an annual meeting at the estate , where you can brief them on the status of various infrastructure projects and request their assistance where needed .
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