The MMbcs Difference

Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services is the new name, and new standard for body corporate management in Queensland. The mission of Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services is to better service the growing need of bodies corporate in Queensland for quality management services, professionally delivered. How is Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services different from other body corporate managers? Consider the following reasons illustrating the MMbcs difference and why your body corporate should seriously consider the appointment of MMbcs as its body corporate manager.

1. Knowledge of the legislation

How well does your body corporate manager know the legislation?

Richard and Marc are experts in the legislation.

Richard was an adjudicator with the Office of the Commissioner, Body Corporate and Community Management for 10 years till 2007, after which he become the manager of the newly created Conciliation Service. Marc was a conciliator with that same service. In his role as adjudicator, Richard resolved thousands of disputes between parties by interpreting and applying the provisions of the BCCM legislation.

In that decision, the Judge observed:

… Mr Meek’s decision carefully analyses the application before him, his own statutory powers and responsibilities. His approach to the facts was demonstrably even handed. He was critical of both sides to the dispute in certain respects. The comments that he made concerning other improvements are well within the range of an expert observer on making on on-site inspection. The right of appeal exists only in respect of questions of law. Nothing points to Mr Meek having approached the facts in such a fundamentally flawed fashion as would amount to an error of law. If anything, it was the reverse, Mr Meek having approached the facts in quite a thorough fashion. The appeal, consequently, should be dismissed.

2. Industry specific experience

What is your body corporate manager’s background, and do they have relevant experience?

To be a body corporate manager does not require formal qualification or experience, and too many have no relevant experience in this industry, and their knowledge of the legislation is often cursory at best. Richard and Marc have both industry-specific experience and relevant qualifications.

As former members of the Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management, Richard has spent 15 years interpreting and applying the legislation in thousands of disputes scenarios. As well, Richard has had an ongoing involvement in both the development and amendment of the legislation. Richard has been a guest speaker at industry specific seminars, and information sessions conducted by the Office of the Commissioner BCCM.

Marc is a registered Barrister-at-Law and a Nationally Accredited Mediator. Marc has been a conciliator specifically in body corporate, residential tenancy and anti-discrimination disputes and has an expert knowledge of the BCCM legislation as well as other related legislation with implications for bodies corporate.

Richard and Marc now wish to utilise their accumulated knowledge and first hand experience to better service the need for quality body corporate management services. Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services will provide higher levels of expertise, knowledge, and service to bodies corporate in Queensland. 

3. Legally trained professionals

What professional qualifications (if any) does your body corporate manager hold?

This is a question you should be asking of your manager or proposed manager.  Whilst some body corporate managers have achieved the industry specific qualification – TAFE level Certificate IV in Body Corporate Management - Richard and Marc are both legally trained and qualified  professionals; Richard, as a solicitor and Marc, a registered Barrister-at Law, and both have industry-specific experience.

Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services will be able to provide to your body corporate advice on a whole range of matters which arise from time to time and which would normally require the involvement of lawyers. For example, issues of the performance of the on-site manager, or the body corporate being asked to consent to a proposed transfer of the caretaking or letting agreement. Other examples include questions of interpretation of the legislation, debt recovery matters, and applications to the Commissioner's Office.

4. Expert dispute resolution skills

In addition to the superior body corporate management services which Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services will bring to your body corporate, Richard and Marc bring an additional set of skills which are simply not available from other managers. These additional skills include expert dispute resolution skills.

Dispute applications to the Commissioner's Office are disruptive to bodies corporate and cost significant time and money. Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services believe that we will be able to prevent or reduce disputes in your body corporate, thus saving your body corporate time and money. In particular, we believe early intervention on our part will both prevent disputes arising, or escalating.  

As well, we understand what is required to make body corporates operate effectively. For example, good communication and the development of a sense of community is integral to the success and effective operation of each body corporate. In contrast, disputes not only invariably involve high monetary and non-monetary costs, but are divisive to the future wellbeing of the body corporate.   

5. Partnered with mystrata cutting-edge technology

Meek Mercier is pleased to offer its clients a world-leading accounting and strata management solution from mystrata - Strataware.

With its design focus on business process efficiency, enhanced client service delivery and compliance with Queensland body corporate legislation, Strataware provides:

• intuitive document management enabling all body corproate records uploaded to the system to be accessed and emailed from any online computer in the world;
• powerful financial accounting tools specifically geared to operate within the legislative parameters of QLD legislation;
• ability to have general ledger reports, budget reports and revenue and expenditure statements generated with the flexibility to report as much or as little detail as required - enabling committees to accurately track income and expenses against their budget;
• an extensive industry-wide chart of accounts that is the most comprehensive in the professional industry;
• flexible address book funtionalities integrated throughout the entire system allowing for accurate and consistent changes to important lot owner details; and
• state-of-the-art data security - data is accessible online through a secured operating environment.

In short, the benefits of our accounting and management solution means more effective management for your scheme.

6. Supporting your committee

As a Committee Member, do you have an understanding of the Body Corporate and Community Management Act?

With the introduction of the Code of conduct for committee voting members in 2007, being a voting member of a body corporate committee just got significantly more complex. For example, a requirement of the code is that a committee voting member must have a commitment to acquiring an understanding of the Act relevant to the member’s role on the committee.

The engagement of MMbcs will be like taking out insurance for your committee. Whilst we won’t discourage any committee member acquiring an understanding of the legislation, Richard and Marc’s expert knowledge will be there at all times for the on-going assistance, support and benefit of the committee.

MMbcs will ensure that committee members are informed of the legislative provisions and requirements governing their actions as committee members. This allows committee members to get on with what they’re elected to do: manage the body corporate.

7. Boutique service

How big is your body corporate management firm, and does the manager really know and take an interest in your building?

Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services are not like every other body corporate manager. The firm is a new one, involving people who are experts in the legislation, and who bring a fresh perspective and approach to body corporate management.  Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services are seeking to offer to a more select number of bodies corporate with whom we are partnered a more personalised and professional level of service.

Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services seek to have as clients and partners those bodies corporate who seek excellence in the quality of the product and the level of service provided to them. In return, Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services look forward to an ongoing mutually beneficial partnership with a more select number of quality bodies corporate.

8. Continuity of management

Does the individual manager for your building often change?

In larger body corporate management firms, there is often a turnover in the managers on staff. For individual bodies corporate, this means a lack of service continuity, and the frustration of the new manager not knowing the history of the body corporate, having to come up to scratch.

Richard and Marc guarantee that this will not happen with Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services as your body corporate manager. We are Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services, and our focus is to remain a more select body corporate management practice. This means continuity of service for those bodies corporate with whom we are partnered. Our goal is an ongoing relationship with your body corporate based on partnership, trust and mutual interest.

9. Value for money

MMbcs believe we offer to bodies corporate better value for money than other managers. In particular, our Fees and Disbursement are consistent with other body corporate managers, and industry norms, but what we will bring to your body corporate is so much more than other managers. Just ask us for a quote.

For the same money that your body corporate would pay to another manager, Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services will provide to your body corporate superior body corporate manager services based on all the above factors; our experience, our expertise, our legal training, our dispute resolution skills, our support and continuity.

Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services offers a premium product but not at a premium price. We don’t believe you will find a better value for money proposition than this. Its all the additional knowledge and skills that we will bring to your body corporate that will make the different: the Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services difference.

10. Impartial and objective

Does your body corporate manager remain impartial and objective in their role?

In our experience, the failure of the appointed body corporate manager to remain impartial and objective in all interactions is often the reason the body corporate becomes embroiled in disputes.

Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services will remain impartial and objective at all times, both in the actions and the information and advice provided to owners, to the committee of the day, or the body corporate in general meeting.

Meek Mercier Body Corporate Services is the new name, and new standard for body corporate management in Queensland.  Contact us today!!