St Regis carpark dispute finally resolved at EGM

Hotel to keep concessions after management council passes its resolutions following tweaks

Apartment owners at St Regis Hotel and Residences were locked in a dispute with the hotel over the rates it has been paying for the use of carpark spaces. The estate management said last month the management council's agreement with developer City De
Apartment owners at St Regis Hotel and Residences were locked in a dispute with the hotel over the rates it has been paying for the use of carpark spaces. The estate management said last month the management council's agreement with developer City Developments on the rates did not have the residents' interests in mind. PHOTO: HONG LEONG GROUP

A lengthy dispute over the common carpark at St Regis Hotel and Residences has finally been straightened out following an extraordinary general meeting of the mannagement council yesterday.

The mixed development in Tanglin Road comprises the hotel and three residential blocks. Hotel and apartment representatives make up the management council.

Tomlinson Hotel, the owner of St Regis Hotel, said in a statement the resolutions it had submitted, after certain amendments proposed by the residential estate's management, were " passed unanimously".

It means the hotel will retain its concessionary benefits on the use of the carpark, which is shared with residents of the luxury condominium.

In 2008, the hotel had entered into an agreement with the developer, City Developments, on a scheme for carpark rates. The hotel has since been paying for its use of the parking spaces at concessionary rates capped at $22,000 a month.

Residents are given two free carpark spaces for each unit they own.

In a letter to home owners on June 19 this year, the apartment management said the agreement had appeared to be a verbal one.

"During this period, council members were not elected, which likely points out that the rates were set between themselves, without the interest of residents in mind," it added.

But Tomlinson Hotel said the annual sum it pays "more than covers the annual costs incurred in connection with maintaining the carpark".

In March 2011, four of six representatives at a council meeting proposed to raise parking rates for the hotel as well as discontinue lunch- time rates. The hotel objected, leading to a series of written exchanges and meetings that failed to reach a compromise.

Late last year, the estate's managing body raised the idea of outsourcing carpark operations to a third party and carried out a tender exercise. The hotel sent legal letters to the tenderers as well as the council members. It said leasing the carpark premises to a third-party operator would be illegal and contravene the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act.

The management of the apartments, in response, lodged a police report on what it called "legal threats" made by the hotel. It also filed complaints with the Law Society and the Prime Minister's Office.

Tomlinson Hotel said in the statement yesterday: "The resolutions that were passed pay due regard and give effect to the hotel's interests as regards concessionary parking rates.

"We are delighted that the matter has been finally resolved."

Mr Joe Goh, the chairman of the estate's management, could not be reached for comment.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 17, 2015, with the headline St Regis carpark dispute finally resolved at EGM. Subscribe