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Just a query regarding development community fee charges. 
I have bought a Tilo Phase 1 and am wondering when we would be expected to start paying fees.
From the way things look, it may be quite some time before the facilities are ready to use/golf course/pools etc but as we will be first to complete just wondered when we might be first charged?
Will we be expected to pay on completion of our aprtments when large scale building work may well be continuing for 1-2 years?
I'd appreciate it if anyone has information on this?
Thanks
Lisa Mona

Hi lisa mona, from what I gather community fees are only payable once a 'community' has been established for your Phase, i.e. election of a President etc, etc.  Seems to be a few months after completion and from other postings paid in two installments.  You should find more information on the Roda forum.  The main info on the Phase 1 Roda Community is around October 07 on their forum.

Anita.


This message was last edited by Anita on 8/16/2008.

This message was last edited by Anita on 8/16/2008.

Thanks Anita... I'll have a look!

I agree Anita but in my experience the earlier bills incurred for services that the Community agree should be borne by the owners are billed retrospectively to those owners who had completed when those service were provided. So you tend to find that a few months after completing you get a bill for a few months back to the date you completed.

Hope this makes sense.
. 

Hi Chris, yes it does make sense, thank you.  However, I am only going by what seems to have happened on Roda.  I may have misinterpreted the postings though.  Not quite sure what could be covered by the charge on completion of Phase I initially as it will be sitting in the middle of a building site with no golf course.  I may be wrong, but I don't think there are any lifts.  I suppose there will be limited communal lighting, but not really much else.  Therefore, it does not seem fair to request back payment of the full amount.  However, fair or not fair if that is how it works then we have to accept it I suppose.

Anita.

 In the first few months the monthly charge tends to be very low with limited services on offer and gradually increases until phases are completed and ultimately the complex is completed and by then a 'normal' monthly charge will have been agreed by the community. However, I'm pretty sure that you start accruing a charge from completion date.

quote
"Until a Community Association of the condominium has been formally set up, the Purchaser (us) shall be required to pay the Vendor (Corvera) the portion corresponding to the Housing Unit sold, in respect of the general condominium service charges including the daycare (gardeners etc) or concierge services (security) provided before the Association was set up."
Suggest everybody gets to know their neighbours and complain as a temporary community if you think Corvera are asking too much at the time.

I have a property in Phase 1 of Roda and our community was formed within a few months of completions ie February 2007. The initial proposed/ forecasted budget (prepared by the administrators based on their experience and three tenders received from suppliers for each service) for street lighting, rubbish collection, security, lifts, gardening, maintenance and pool maintenance was put forward for approval at the AGM at which the President and Vice President were elected. The budget was queried in places but by and large was approved by all present with some small amendments. The fees were then invoiced in two tranches one in June/July and one in Nov/Dec payable by direct debit. 
In Roda Calidona continued paying for the main Security costs and are still doing so until the General Community (community for all phases) is formed and also paid a substantial proportion of other costs for the first year while the phases were still being worked on. The Administrators are very experienced and vigilant about charges and bills and have saved the owners a lot of money and ensured that the owners only pay what has to be paid and that the developers pay their share. Value for money is very important with all tenders from suppliers and back up service etc is also fundamental for essentials such as maintenance etc.  Remember the administrators are working for you the owner and not the developer and that all costs are put forward for approval at the AGM where they can be challenged if need be. However your president and vice president will both be consulted by the administrators before any contracts are agreed and it will be up to you to ensure that they are people who are experienced in financial matters and business and preferably living in the resort full time where they can keep an eye on what is happening on a day to day basis ensuring that work is carried out to a high standard. Hope that this helps with the queries raised as it was all new to us too!

That's very helpful. Can I ask who took the initiative to set up the community at Roda in the first place and who appointed the administrators. I assume it is the developers responsibility  to set the ball rolling.

Cheers
Chris

Chris

The community was set up following the handing over of most of the phase and the administrators are invited along by the developers initially but are voted in or otherwise at the AGM so nothing is set in stone until the AGM takes place. The AGM agenda had an item for election of administrators for the year. The administrators at Roda for all seven or eight communities now formed are Housing Comunidades who have over 20 years experience in administration of communities including some of the La Manga Club communities and Polaris communites. The Senior Administrator, Angel Morenilla, is a very experienced lawyer who speaks fluent German, Spanish and English and he has been invaluable to the Phase 1 community with advice and support so far. I am sure that most of the owners in Roda would be happy to confirm that the administrators are doing a good job.