394. Real Estate :
Collective Sale - A good question without an answer
April 6, 2011
"What is the point of a 2-year restriction when the
sales committee (SC) can be formed again within the
2-year restriction period to get enbloc sales going?" I
asked the lecturer during the class on April 6, 2011.
The lecturer had stated that the SC will cease to exist
if the enbloc sale is not successful after one year from
the first signature done on the CSA (collective sales
agreement). Therefore, he had answered my question as to
what happened if the SC cannot get the 80% or 90% and
therefore is unable to offer the property for sale. In
the previous lecture, he had said that the "failed
attempt" meant that the SC fails to find a buyer for the
enbloc property after one year from the first signing of
the CSA. If the SC gets 80% or 90% within that one year,
the SC had a "failed attempt".
OK. He has answered my pestering question which had
confused some of my classmates.
THE FOLLOWING IS WHAT I RECORDED IN MY BOOK
The lecturer wrote on the white board an illustration as
follows:
--------------------------------------------------------->
Talk a lot
No action
SC formed Year 1 Year 2
Year 3
2-year restrictive Period?
Either AGM or EGM to form a SC
Quorum - 20% of SV (share value) or 25% of owners
present
One-hour waiting time, no quorum, meeting cancelled.
Quorum = 30% of SV. SC is then formed. One year must do
it. If nothing happens after one year, "failed attempt",
SC ceases to exist.
Starting point of enbloc is the formation of the SC
Once SC is formed, within one year must obtain the CSA's
first signature or face automatic termination.
The one-year period begins when the SC is elected at the
AGM/EGM.
There is a (2-year restriction period?) after a
potential collective sales fall through.
Within 2-year restriction, lst repeated attempt for
enbloc sales by SC must get 50% SV or number of
owners. 2nd and subsequent repeated attempts must get
80% will be needed.
WHAT PUZZLED ME WAS HIS INTERPRETATION OF THE 2-YEAR
PERIOD
So I asked since nobody did it:
"What is the point of having the 2-year restriction when
the SC can be formed within the 2 years to attempt
another enbloc sale?"
The lecturer looked at me and said: "That is a good
question!"
So what is the answer? He would not give me the answer
and he insisted that his interpretation that the first
attempt after the failed attempt is to be done within
the 2-year restriction.
So, why the 2-year restriction rule is made? Does not
make sense to me and to many of my classmates. The
lecturer stuck to his gun.
So this is a good question without an answer.
I said: "Maybe the STB (strata title board) should be
asked?"
He said: "Who do you think is in charge of the enbloc
sale? Ask that authority."
"It is the URA".
I said: "The STB is the regulatory body."
So, all students get confused since none of us are
experts in collective sales!
One classmate said to me: "Since the collective sales
question was just asked in the recent examination, it
will never be asked again".
I told my classmate: "The collective sale is an
important issue and has many parts. The question can
still be asked again!"
I still can't understand why this lecturer is so sure
that the first attempt must be within the 2-year
restriction period. There are so many facts and figures
to memorise but at least this lecture was lively. My
lady classmates voiced their confusion to me and said
that I was correct in my interpretation. The first
attempt after the failed attempt should rationally be at
Year 3. We needed to look for a lawyer to consult. But
not all lawyers know the fast changing regulations.
Probably the URA or the STB? I think it is the STB that
is up to date.
Two of my classmates chatted by themselves prompting the
displeasure of the lecturer and I told them to be quiet,
diplomatically. Then another student with grey hair
said: "Please don't point the laser at me," as the
lecturer was so active moving his hand and his laser
beams shot at various angles. Sometimes the beam shot to
my eye but I was too polite to tell him about the
safety.
Is the lecturer committing a breach of duty of care
to his student by pointing his laser beam anywhere
and every direction when he lectured?
Law of Tort: Duty of Care - Test - Breach
Standard of Care, vicarious liability, Negligence,
Negligence Defence - contributory negligence and consent
negligence (volenti Non Fit Injuria), Disclaimer,
Dangerous Premises (laser pointer?). Some much to study
and this is only less than 0.001% of the material.
The lecturer apologised and said that he could not
switch on the laser promptly if he switches it off. I
asked the complainant classmate: "Perhaps we should chip
in the money and buy him a good laser pointer."
This course is very tough as we will get over 1000 pages
of paper to study. Some humour is necessary during
lectures.
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