RESIDENTS of Indah Villa Condo in Bandar Sunway are frustrated with their condominium management over several issues. 

Indah Villa Condo residents showing the stained and broken ceiling on one of the floors.

One, they cited, is the poor working condition of the lifts. 

Condominium committee member Luke Balvers said there are four lifts in the two condominium blocks. However, one is not working while another is occasionally out of order. 

“This means that we have only two left.  

“Sometimes, the lifts get stuck between floors and that is when we have to use the stairs. Imagine residents, especially the elderly living on the ninth floor, having to walk up the stairs,” said Balvers. 

The problem started in 1998. 

“We pay RM240 as maintenance fee every month but nothing has been done to improve the condominium despite numerous reports to the management,” he said. 

Another upset resident, Caroline Cheong, said on some floors, the walls and ceilings had gaping holes and cracks. 

The residents had gathered with their complaints following an earlier protest that was sparked off by a cut in water supply to their units. 

All residents in the 215 units of the condominium had to carry water buckets and buy bottled water from stores after water supply, they claimed, was cut off by the management from Feb 3 onwards. 

The reason, some of the residents claimed, was due to some residents not paying their water bills.  

Committee member Wong Yew Leng said it was unfair to cut off the water supply as the majority of the residents pay their bills every month. 

“It is not fair to punish those who have been paying the bills,” said Wong. 

Cheong said she does not understand why the management did not chase after those who have not been paying their bills but instead abruptly cut the water supply when the sum had accumulated to a large amount. 

Although the water supply was restored on Feb 7, residents said they were still concerned as water supply could be cut again because bills of several residents are still outstanding. 

When contacted, maintenance manager Mohamed Jamalludin Sulaiman from Perisma Development Sdn Bhd refuted the claims of residents. 

He said only 50 units from the total 215 units had paid their maintenance fees regularly, with the majority still owing the company. 

“Even the condominium's committee members owe us money.” 

He added that for water bills alone, Block A currently owes RM17,000 while Block B owes RM14,000.  

Mohamed Jamalludin said the water supply was restored by Syabas only after he managed to collect RM13,000 from the residents. 

“I understand there are residents who pay their bills regularly but it is not the management's fault that the main water metre was cut off by Syabas. They failed to receive money and decided to end water supply. 

“However, from now on, I'll go from door to door to cut off water supply at units where residents refuse to pay up,” he said. 

When asked about the lift conditions, Mohamed Jamalludin they would only be repaired if the residents settled their outstanding debts.