Misuse of Maintenance Fees... 90 Cases Found in Apartment Complexes in Chungnam Region

[Asia Economy (Naepo) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Ninety cases of irregularities, such as using apartment complex management fees for purposes other than intended, were detected in Chungnam.

The Chungnam Provincial Audit Committee announced on the 24th that it conducted audits from January to August on five apartment complexes in the province and found violations of apartment-related laws and management regulations, including 61 cases of caution, 27 cases of correction, and 2 cases of recommendation.

The most common case detected in the audit was the misuse of management fees for purposes other than intended (irregular use), with 21 cases.

Other audit findings included 15 cases of improper composition and operation of the Residents' Representative Meeting and Election Management Committee, 13 cases of improper establishment of long-term repair plans and reserve fund accumulation, 13 cases of improper handling of accounting tasks such as collection of management fees and late fees, 12 cases of improper selection of housing managers and contractors, and 16 other cases.

The provincial audit committee plans to determine the severity of each detected case and take appropriate measures. Among these, violations of laws expected to cause damage to residents have been reported to the relevant city or county authorities where the apartment complexes are located, so that investigations and fines can be imposed.

Additionally, cases that caused financial damage to residents have been subject to corrective actions, while audit findings due to simple mistakes or minor issues were handled with a 'caution' measure.

Previously, the provincial audit committee established a team specializing in apartment complex audits in January 2019 and conducted special audits on 15 complexes up to August this year.

Kim Jong-young, chairman of the provincial audit committee, said, "Apartment complex audits are conducted when more than 30% of all residents give consent, and can also be conducted when deemed necessary for the efficiency of apartment management and protection of residents. The provincial audit committee will strive to realize transparent and pleasant apartment community living through thorough audits."