Disaster-struck complex pleads for help
A BackaBuddy campaign has been started to help a Hamberg residential complex repair its roof.
Die Eike, a Hamberg residential complex, that lost its roof during a freak storm in February, has suffered yet another setback as the insurance company for the complex has refused to entertain its claim for the replacement of the roof.
According to body corporate trustee Ian Muller, they find themselves in a financial fix after firstly being defrauded of significant amounts of money by two separate managing agents, and secondly, struggling to collect levies from owners of some of the units in the complex.
“Legal proceedings against defaulting owners and the previous managing agents are underway,” says Muller. “Unfortunately our chances of recovering the stolen money, which amounts to more than R700 000, is quite remote.”
Muller says that five days before the storm, the body corporate was issued with a notification by their insurance company that, due to a lack of proper maintenance being carried out on the roof, they would no longer entertain claims for fixing the roof. The body corporate was in the process of assessing the required roof maintenance when a freak storm swept through the area and blew the entire roof off one of the two blocks that make up this housing complex.
“In all fairness, our financial standing was quite solid before we were defrauded by unscrupulous managing agents,” says Muller. “After we lost so much money, we were forced to apply what little funds we had available to paying our monthly municipal bills and attending to urgent repairs as and when they came up.
“This left us with next to nothing for maintenance, and we admittedly fell behind in that respect.”
Muller, who owns two units, has since taken it upon himself to repair the roof.
“The owners and residents are not in a position to foot the bill for the necessary repairs,” he says. “I also cannot sit back and watch my friends and former neighbours suffer.
“Thus I have agreed with the body corporate that I will loan the money for the roof repair, and that they will pay me back over some time. Unfortunately, it is quite a large amount of money, and we can use all the help we can get.”
Muller says that many families have had to make temporary alternative living arrangements, but cannot afford to move to other apartments.
“Most of these families have lost everything they owned to water damage during the storm. They are not in the financial position to secure other accommodation.”
Muller has, to help the body corporate raise funds for the needed repair, launched a BackaBuddy campaign.
If you would like to contribute toward the repair of Die Eike, visit the BackaBuddy campaign at https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/disaster-in-hamberg.
