I have been reading account of difficulties experienced as owners of ‘Ashiana Utsav’. We all have to keep this tempo going till VML/AHL brass awakes from their slumber.
I too have my own experiences which I would like to share with Utsavites. I first visited Utsav and stayed overnight in February 2009. I was fascinated by:-
i. Excellent upkeep of lawns, roads and public / common areas. There were no dry leaves or overgrown grass anywhere, which is common during that time of the year.
ii. Soft devotional songs that were relayed from public address system in the morning.
iii. Wholesome and reasonably priced food served at Utsav Café.
I was prompted to visit again a few times. Finally, I bought M-388. On my recommendation Mr. Ashok Jain also bought M-297, in 2010. Thereafter on his recommendation, M-197 was purchased by Dr.Vijay Jain in early 2011.
But, alas, our pride of having a dreamhouse with excellent facilities has been shattered. It has been a downhill journey since September 2011, in most respects. The general upkeep / housekeeping are now below par.
As regards Utsav Café, less said the better. The quality, quantity and service went down and prices went up. This malaise started after the management was taken over by VML. I bought the flat in the hope that I would not need to bring my cook / domestic help every time I visited Utsav. The then managerwas arroagant and did not know his job though cooks and other staff were OK. His successor was worse. Let us hope, the new manager who has taken over recently, does perform.
I had meetings with VP VML (now CEO) and have also exchanged several letter/mails with Mr. Ankur Gupta bringing to their knowledge the sharp decline all around. But, nothing worthwhile has happened. Their attitude has been like our present UPA govt.—listen but do not act.
When I bought the flat the maintenance charges were around Rs. 1000 pm which have now gone up to almost Rs. 2000 pm.
I believe that Utsavites have been loaded with unwanted expenses like huge salaries to Managers — who work more for other units than for Utsav, Bhiwadi. No record, in support of charges claimed from Utsavites (allegedly on actual cost basis), has been made available. Is this fair? EC too has not been able to effectively to take up this issue with VML.
Tripartite agreement between AHL/VML/Utsavites has a clause for interest free deposit for management charges. This deposit is to be set off against monthly charges for 15 years. Till the end of year 2011 this charge was @ Rs. 170-171 per month. This has now been increased almost 2 ½ times without assigning any reason. No credit is being given for annual interest of approx Rs. 6000 (Rs. 62500 / 68000 collected from Utsav Owners from 2010 onwards).
I have specifically asked for the details of so called management services rendered by VML but with no response. If at all any management charges is payable to VML, it has to be a % of maintenance changes (if the same is based on actual). For obvious reasons VML has not responded to any queries on this issue. Their attitude is that the owner’s will stop protesting if VMIL did not respond.
As has been highlighted by some owners, VML must make available evidence and details of expenses incurred under different heads billed to owners. The suggestion of AUOWS to cut frivolous and unrelated expenses as also improvement in emergency alarm system etc. has evoked little response from VML.
We are senior citizens and had chosen Utsav as our present or future abode believing in what we saw or were assured of. But, should we allow VMIL to deny our right to live and enjoy peacefully? Before resorting to any legal action, I would like to motivate VML brass to appreciate and address our concerns. I would welcome your reaction / views on the aforesaid issues.
More next time…
Gulshan Rai, M-388, Block 10
