The thorny issue of apartment management was the subject of a well-attended public meeting hosted by Dublin City Council (DCC) on Tuesday evening. The council had expected 150 people at most to attend the meeting but over 250 people showed up, some arriving over one hour early to ensure they secured a seat.

From Lucan to Dalkey apartment owners had the same story to tell - developers are not handing over the control of common areas in a timely fashion, according to Evelyn Hanlon from DCC's housing and residential services. In theory the developer is supposed to leave the development when all the units are sold and owners take control of the scheme, she said.

In practice developers are remaining on the board and controlling decisions made by the management companies. One apartment owner told the meeting of how a developer is still calling the shots even though her apartment scheme is 40 years old.

The resounding conclusion at the meeting, according to Hanlon, is the urgent need for reform of the regulation system.

Currently, owners are at the mercy of developers with the law stating that they must hand over schemes within 21 years or when the last unit is sold. Some developers hold onto one apartment or a retail unit in a scheme. Investment aside, this gives them a foothold in the scheme.

Owners were also advised about the need to take out proper insurance when becoming directors of management companies. Otherwise they are leaving themselves exposed to potential liability, warned Hanlon.

The meeting also heard from owners in schemes who self-manage.

Not surprisingly, commercial management agents were also discussed last Tuesday night. While property management companies did come in for some slagging, it emerged at the meeting that some of the criticism stems from a lack of understanding of the range of services they carry out, according to Hanlon.

DCC organised the meeting on foot of the publication of a report entitled Successful Apartment Living, which criticised management agents and developers saying that they were "usurping the rights of owners" to make decisions about their homes.

The meeting is the first step in the council's attempt to set up an owners' forum which would act as a representative body for apartment owners.