Note from the Chairman
Firstly, on behalf of the Committee and the members of the Owners Association, let me say a great thank you to Nigel for his many years and outstanding work as Chairman of the Association, and we look forward to continue working with him on the Committee, not least to continue to get his sage advice and the history of “how it came about in QDM”.
As you are aware, we have just held our Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Owners Association (OA). This was a very successful meeting from many perspectives – the very high support of the members through attendance, proxies and postal / e-mail votes, the approval of a number of recommendations, the approval of the Motions, and the restructuring of the Committee with the associated re-election of the Committee members.
The very high support at the AGM was clear from the fact that a fraction under 80% of the potential votes were cast; thus giving the clear mandate that Nigel had asked for in his message that went out with the calling notice for the AGM. Your Committee really appreciates that level of support.
The OA is now in a much stronger position to ensure that QDM can continue to be well maintained, and that Owners’ interests are protected, in the event that our service provider, Golfe Santo Antonio (GSA), is not successful under its new Resort Director and does not survive the ongoing administration process.
An important element of this position was the AGM’s approval of the Motion to allow the OA to hold monies on behalf of the Owners. I want to give you a very strong assurance that your Committee will act in a responsible manner with respect to the expenditure of that money.
Following agreement to the recommendation in the AGM, the first step in protecting the Owners’ money is already underway, and that is the movement of the money in the QDM Reserve Fund from a PDF Lda bank account to an OA managed bank account. Any expenditure from that account will be under dual signature.
With respect to the C&U charges, you have been advised by our Treasurer, David Curtis of the package deal presented by GSA to the OAs. This was approved in principle at the AGM, since when we have received an improved package which specifically enhances the coverage of the C&U charges to ordinary and extraordinary maintenance of the QDM infrastructure.
We all have an obligation to pay for the services that are provided, payment for which is in arrears to protect our Owners and is subject to the services being of an agreed standard. These standards will be closely monitored by your OA’s resident representatives. Please also respect the current apportionment of the community services costs between the properties; noting that Jim Lorimer from the Committee is undertaking a review of the apportionment and will be presenting a number of options for the way forward and the OA members’ consideration.
Many of you have expressed very strong feelings about the non-payers in QDM; your Committee shares these feelings, is taking the opportunity to speak with those non-payers, and will assist GSA and the Administrator in their attempts to rectify the situation. In the meantime, where we can, we will restrict access to facilities that are subject to community services costs. The QDM swimming pool notices have been re-instated identifying those house numbers whose Owners (and tenants) are not authorised to use the pool. Gate locks have been installed and keys will be available shortly, from Owner Services for GSA-managed properties and from the main Reception for everybody else; but please note that Reception and Owner Services will not issue the keys to the perennial non-payers.
In addition, the Resort Director is planning to introduce processes which would also restrict access by perennial non-payers to certain facilities on the main resort.
Finally, we look forward to your continued support in what can only be regarded as very interesting times for the future of the whole resort.
Best regards
David Murphy
Chairman, Executive Committee
April, 2013
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Meetings with the GSA and the Administrator
As all Owners are fully aware these continue to be difficult times for GSA. Under the Administration process, Vigia SGPS and a number of Vigia-related construction companies have gone into liquidation. The Administrator remains confident about the future of GSA but is dependent upon a continued cashflow and the support of its loyal workers.
GSA is the “service provider” to QDM, and the operator of the golf resort. The future of GSA is the only issue that directly affects QDM Owners. Our communal areas are owned by EF&F – a company not currently at risk (Owners at The View, Quinta da Fortaleza, and Quinta da Encosta Velha are in a far more difficult position than us).
During the whole Administration process the OA Committee has been in close communication with the Administrator and other parties. Where necessary we have also taken legal advice. Agendas and records of all meetings with the Administrator can be found at this link.
Under the Administration process specific restrictions are placed on companies, and with GSA this caused some problems in the past months for QDM, particularly where this related to getting quotations and the commitment of expenditure. With the appointment of the new Resort Director, Isabel Coelho, this situation has significantly improved.
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Note from David Curtis – Treasurer
I believe that we as a group of owners should give GSA (previously Vigia) our full support to ensure that they survive.
The new resort director is making positive changes which I believe show that she is focused on the future of PdF firstly by providing “Owner” services (C & U) at a realistic commercial rate. Secondly she is marketing PdF to visitors by for example reducing the cost of golf and providing free wi-fi in the spike bar. Whilst these are small initial changes I do believe that they demonstrate her determination to rescue our resort.
Please support her by paying your C & U on time and your reserve fund (which is used to ensure that we can cover any major unforeseen eventuality and continue to enhance the environment of QDM) when it is requested.
Note: The reason the invoice is not issued until payments are received is that VAT becomes due on the date of the invoice.
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QDM Quarter Shares – Sinking Funds
Our last Newsletter made mention of the Reserve Fund and its importance as part of the financial planning of the OA. We also highlighted the work of the committee to safeguard this fund by moving it into a ring-fenced account which cannot be used without the agreement of your OA.
We are now, following the agreement at the last AGM, going to strengthen these safeguards by moving this fund into the OA bank account where the funds will be completely under the OA control, and under dual signature. There will be no change to the stipulations regarding use of the Reserve Fund, i.e. that monies can only be spent against a specific invoice for repairs or renewals etc relating to infrastructure issues and with the approval of the Executive Board.
At the same time we are aware that approximately € 30,500 is being held by PDF Lda on behalf of Quarter Share owners in their “Sinking Funds”. Whilst there is no evidence that these funds are insecure we are advising Owners concerned to consider alternative options for management of their funds.
As an interim and temporary arrangement the OA is offering to hold those monies in an OA account on behalf of Owners, subject to the agreement of all concerned.
This offer to hold Sinking Fund monies in an OA account for the protection of the Owners’ funds would be a temporary measure only. Owners would be obliged to agree, collectively, where these funds should be ultimately transferred to, and to make appropriate arrangements. Quarter Share Owners will be receiving an e-mail shortly with respect to authorising the transfer of the Sinking Funds.
The Committee would welcome the views of the Quarter Share owners on possible options for the future management of the “Sinking Funds”.
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QDM OA Membership – 2013 fees
The 2013 Subs (€20 per house and €5 per quarter share) for the QDM OA are now due. You may pay by the following means:
Direct transfer into the OA Account
Associacao De Proprietarios Quinto Do Montinho
CAIXA: 7210 CCAM Algarve C.R.L
BALCAO: 7150 Vila Do Bispo
CONTA: 40242329022
IBAN: PT50 0045 7150 4024 2329 0226 1
NIB: 0045 7150 40242329022 61 BIC/SWIFT: CCCMPTPL
by post to me £18 (UK cheque made out to David Curtis) or €20 cash to the following address
13 Black Down Mead
Cheddar
Somerset
BS27 3XW
Or by hand to Martyn Uttley (QDM8) or David Murphy (QDM24).
Thank you for your support
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Outstanding works
As mentioned above, we now meet regularly with the new management at GSA to discuss all matters of concern to Owners at QDM. There has been a marked improvement in response times in recent weeks and we have seen several urgent and long outstanding works completed. Of note has been the repairs to the pathway leading to the communal pool where that calcada has been severely damaged by the roots of the nearby pine trees. The repair has required considerable excavation, as can be seen from the picture below.
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Access to the QDM Swimming Pools Area
In order to prevent unauthorised access to the QDM swimming pool area, from Monday 20th May the three gates to the QDM Pool area will be locked.
Keys are available from Owner Services, which from 13th May will be co-located with the Main Reception. After normal working hours, keys will be available from Main Reception.
Keys have been engraved with a 2-character code (AA, AB, etc; BA, BB, etc.) – when the key is signed for, the list maintained by Owner Services will indicate which house has been issued with which key. Some keys have been specifically coded for use by Pool Maintenance, the Maids, Security personnel and Owner Services.
The key may be signed for by yourselves, or by your guests / tenants / representative of your Management Company in which case an authorisation e-mail to Eduardo Martins (Owner Services Manager) (eduardo.martins@saresorts.com) is required.
As Owners, you may wish to keep the key in your house where it is available to yourselves and, where applicable, your guests/tenants or alternatively it can be kept with your house key and returned to Main Reception.
Advice – if you attach a key fob, you should not indicate your house number on that key fob. If you find a key, please return it to Main Reception.
Please note that keys will not be issued to the perennial non-payers of the QDM Community & Urbanisation (C&U) charges, and whose house numbers have been identified on the Pool Notice at the gates.
The security of the communal pool now depends on your cooperation. Please do not lend your key to anyone else. Please also ensure that all three gates are locked at all times.