1 Star -- Extremely frustrating experience with The Building Group…read more
My experience dealing with The Building Group (TBG), particularly property manager Tony F and VP of Portfolio Management Roman S, has been extremely frustrating. My biggest issue is that not every problem gets resolved immediately; it is the repeated lack of straightforward communication, follow-through, and transparency.
I've owned my condo for about a year, and I've repeatedly had situations where getting a simple answer or document has turned into multiple emails and follow-ups.
For example, I requested building/unit blueprints. Rather than simply providing them, Tony initially questioned why an owner would want them and said it was "uncommon" for an owner to ask for blueprints to learn how the building works. It ultimately took approximately five emails before I received the documents.
I also had a significant hot-water problem during the winter. I asked Tony how the water supply to my unit could be shut off so I could address the problem. He never responded to that question. The problem continued, and around the same time one of the building's pumps failed, resulting in extremely long waits for hot water.
The financial-records request has been the most frustrating example. I requested the Association's financial records and management contract under Section 19 of the Illinois Condominium Property Act. I made the request in writing and followed up multiple times. The process continued right up to the statutory deadline.
I finally received a written response from Roman acknowledging that many of the records I requested are available under Section 19, including 10 years of itemized financial records, reserve contributions and expenditures, the current reserve balance, the reserve study and updates, the current management agreement, financial statements, and certain loan records.
But then came what I find particularly troubling: TBG stated that it charges $75 per hour for staff time spent retrieving, compiling, organizing, and making the records available, in addition to reproduction costs.
For an owner trying to understand how their condominium's finances have been managed, this creates a very frustrating situation. The more difficult and time-consuming the management company makes the records process, the more staff time can potentially be charged to the owner. I cannot say what their intent is, but from an owner's perspective, it creates the appearance of an incentive to make a records request unnecessarily burdensome rather than simply providing existing records in an efficient manner.
What makes this even more frustrating is that I was not asking them to create an analysis or special report. I was asking for the Association's existing financial records. Their own response acknowledges that these records are existing records covered by Section 19.
This is particularly concerning when owners are trying to understand the financial condition of their own Association and how their assessment dollars and reserve funds have been managed.
I understand that property managers have many responsibilities and that not every repair or request can be handled immediately. But there is a difference between a legitimate delay and a pattern of requiring owners to repeatedly follow up just to get straightforward answers or documents.
At one point, during a Board meeting, Tony even told everyone that he did not have enough time to adequately take care of our building. If that's the case, it raises a serious question about whether the property is receiving the level of management service that the Association is paying for.
I am writing this review because I wish I had known what dealing with this management company would be like before becoming an owner. Condo owners are trusting a management company with significant amounts of money and with the administration and maintenance of their homes. In my experience, obtaining basic information and getting straightforward follow-through has been far more difficult than it should be.
This review reflects my personal experiences as an owner. I would strongly encourage any condo board considering The Building Group to ask very specific questions about communication, response times, financial transparency, records requests, and exactly how owners are charged for obtaining Association records.
