Management Companies

01 What is a Management Company?

A so called "management company" is a company registered in the CRO usually as a Company limited by Guarantee (CLG) or a Designated Activity Company (DAC),  with an object clause to manage a multi-unit development. The "management company" owns the common areas of the development such as: car parks, green space, stairwells, lifts and communal hallways and maintains them for the benefit of all property owners and typically provides for insurance cover.

On acquiring a unit within the development, in addition to the apartment or house such person also shares ownership of the common areas. Stemming from this, it is usually a condition of the purchaser's contract that they sign a co-ownership agreement which obliged them to become a member of the management company.    These co-ownership agreements are essentially rooted in the laws of contract and private property,  rather than in any particular Act of the Oireachtas.  Following on from this, it should be clear that the requirement to become a member of a management company is not a requirement under company law. 

There is no special body of company law which applies only to so called "management companies" or is applied differently so far as management companies are concerned.  The "FAQ" (Frequently Asked Questions) section of this website answers most general company law type questions in relation to all companies.  Most of the issues arising in the so called "management companies" are not company law issues and the ODCE cannot assist.   The attached document lists the breaches of company law where ODCE can assist with.

02 Are management companies a product of company law?

No. It is important to stress that management companies have no special meaning and are in no way a requirement of company law. There is nothing in the Companies Act which states that a management company must be brought into existence in connection with any multi-unit development, and some multi-unit developments exist which do not have a management company associated with them. Furthermore, it is important to point out and emphasise that there is no special body of company law that applies solely to management companies.

03 Where can I find the legal source from which management companies operate?

Court Rulings

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The Director of Public Prosecutions v. Stuart Fogarty

28 May 2008


Details of Defendant:
Stuart Fogarty, Director of Aubrey Fogarty Associates Limited

Company Number:
24806

Registered Office:
46, James Place East, Dublin 2.

Venue: 
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

Judge:
The Honourable Judge Delahunt

Alleged Offence(s):
The defendant was charged on 13 separate charges, that as Director of Aubrey Fogarty Associates Limited he authorised or permitted the company to lend him sums while he knew or had reasonable cause to believe that the company was thereby contravening Section 31 of the Companies Act 1990.  These are indictable offences under Section 40(1) of the Companies Act 1990. 

Result:
On the 28th May 2008, on a plea of guilty, the Court convicted him on each of the 13 counts and fined him a total of €34,000.  The Court imposed a two year suspended sentence in relation to one of the offences. On two other counts, the Court sentenced him to two years but indicated that this would be replaced with Community Service if the defendant were suitable, after seeing a report from the Probation and Welfare Service (the question to come before the Court on the 11th of July 2008).

On the 11th of July 2008, having heard submissions from the prosecution and the defence, the Court ordered that the defendant perform 249 hours' Community Service but adjourned the question of Mr. Fogarty's disqualification until the 17th of December 2008 (under Section 160(1) of the Companies Act 1990).

On the 17th of December 2008, having considered  the matter of disqualification, the Court disqualified Mr. Fogarty for a period of six months (from 28th May until 27th November 2008).

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