Community Charge Non Payers

Anyone know what the situation is with the non payers of the annual community fees??

I seem to remember that there were a lot in phase 1 who were not paying from day 1 and I haven't heard anything since. It's usually flippers & investors who don't pay, have no intention of paying and usually get away with it.

Anyway, in the current financial climate I dare say there may be a few more who decide to get in arrears so I was just wondering:

1. Do we still have non payers (I'm sure we do)

2. What does the community commitee do about it?

3. What has happened so far?

4. How much do they owe?

5. Do the rest of the community have to pay more?

Cheers all & and a very Merry Christmas

Hi Big C, hmmm seems everything is OK since no replys!

Usually, when you are struggling to pay a mortgage, utility bills and community fees, then the community fees are the first thing not to be paid. Simply because it is very difficult to force people to pay and then to get the outstanding amounts owed may mean a lengthy process through the courts which, in the current climate could take a while (several years even).

On a resort the size of Roda, there must be several non payers. This is a very important issue for all of  us since it may mean our community fees go up, or services going down (pool maintenance, security guards lighting etc....), delay repainting the exterior of the villas etc....

Does anyone know how to find out how many people have defaulted and how much is owed to the community?

One example i've heard of in bringing non-cfee payers up to date is if you have a "common key" for a particular block or communal area is to change the lock for that area and only issue keys to paid up members. May not be applicable to developments such as Roda though.

We were just discussing this in the clubhouse a few nights ago with other owners and I was told that a list of non payers on Phase 1 was posted at the post boxes but cannot see any signs of it. I will be contacting the President of my Phase to see if they know an updated figure although I know that there will be a list provided at the AGM as well for the past year. The administrators would have a full list of any outstanding fees on any of the phases that they deal with I would imagine.  

I agree that the community fee is well down some people's priority list but that is very unfair to the rest of us who as neighbours on a Phase should not be subsidising non- payers. I feel very strongly that they should be named and shamed. I know that a property where community fees are outstanding cannot be sold until they are fully paid up but this is not much comfort as some of the non payers have no intention of selling. The extra 20% levy and legal fees though may act as a deterrent and the fact that their names would be publicised might encourage them to pay up. I hope that this will be proposed at the AGM if it is not already in place. 

I do not think that anyone refusing to pay community fees should be allowed to use the pools, gardens etc as they are not contributing to the cost of these but even if their names and property addresses are made public it is hard to know how this could be enforced. Food for thought though with the AGM's coming up in the next few months.

Happy New Year to all you who are paying and looking forward to a good night in the club house tonight!!!

Don

I just had an idea on this I am not sure if legally it can be done or not. Those of us who are paying our fees should try and get something like this on our AGM.

The main communal area that you enter via a door is the underground Garage.

 It is not difficult to reprogram the door codes so your electric tag wont work. You then give to all community fee payers a new electric tag that is correctly programmed. No payment of fees no garage access. I would go further and make sure all external doors have working locks and again only give payer’s access. (Some fire rules probably won’t allow this)

I am sure it won’t be long before people think about paying if this sort of action is taken. 

Those of you who are paying your fees remember these people are costing you cash and we need to start taking action to get them to pay. So let’s have them named and shamed at the AGM.

If we cant get them to pay lets take legal action. I note from the minutes of last years phase 2 agm in the by laws that it is possible to impose a 20% fine lets make sure this item is on the agenda at  the next AGM.

I am fed up with being treated as a mug by the non payers.

Please can someone advise if non payers are covered by our comunity insurance.

Hi Lanric.

My business partner has an apartment in Sotogrande marina. and they have done exactly this (whether legal or not). There is a key-code to the underground parking entrance on their lock that is updated every year; at the entrance to the marina is a security gate and the security guard when letting owners in can check if they are paid up with their community fees using the computer. If not they simply have to pay up to receive the current code. Don't know if this sort of thing could be viable at Roda or in future at Corvera or if there is any legal action that may be pursued against these communal thieves (call it as it is).

Although I am up to date with my community fees, can I just say that part of me sympathises with these non payers as it has also crossed my mind not to pay up, if i could just list a few things.

1. We were in Roda for 4 weeks last year and our pool lights were not on for a single night.

2.The lights in the walkways were constantly off and on, if they were on, on one walkway ,they were off in the next.

3.There was a constant pile of rubbish near the communal bins because the bins were full.

4.The garage doors were in the up position on many blocks, I can only presume broken.

5 The suction on the filter system in the pool was so strong it left a huge bruise on my daughters back, I have sent an E mail regarding this and had 1 reply about it being looked into but nothing since.(4months ago).

6.Also take into account that these fees are about 60% dearer than we were lead to believe.

7.Last and by no means least we are still awaiting the 1st brick to be laid for the commercial center/hotel, (I realise this may not be a community issue but even so lets be fair )

So lets face it, parting with 1400 Euros every year does go against the grain somewhat.

Roda have been allowed to get away with this for far too long and we still don't have any shops or services.  This is a total disgrace!  They could at least put a shop ( bread, jam, milk, newspapers etc) where the old clubhouse was but instead they put a sales office!  Typical.

Very valid point RD

Hello,

In my opinion for what it's worth i think all the phases collectively should request a meeting with Roda representatives to "clear the air", with all our communal complaints and issues. The secret to success at the meeeting would to meet with the real decision makers i.e. senior Directors of Calidona and not the gatekeepers.

Let me give you some examples of the problems i have had to put with:

• Every time i have been over on holiday the lift has been out of order.
• The solarium roof has leaked rain since we moved into our apartment which is over a year now, the builders have been out on 6 occassions to repair it and it is still not right.
• Last September guests who were renting from us had to put up with rain getting in through the roof and soaking the living room wall and bedroom wall, a large ceiling tile came down in the bathroom and it was lucky no one was in the bathroom at the time or there could have been a serious injury. We had to reimburse the client his money as a gesture of good will.
• The lift wasn't working a one of the guests had had a heart transplant and needed to climb the stairs to the 3rd floor.
• We have had to cancel a number of rental bookings consequently losing good income and we have also had to stop advertising on a holiday rental web site. We asked for compensation and were told "no chance".

Let's put forward a united front and plan a strategy of action which will give all peace of mind.

Regards

Patrick

Hi Patrick,

Couldn’t agree more, but at present Roda are washing their hands of everything. If it’s a community problem, like lifts or non payers, they say see your president. And if its anything damaged they say see your insurance company. We have even been told that letters have gone out requesting owners to pick up their keys or they will be destroyed (the keys not the owners) or the owners will have to pay a key holding fee. One of the apartments Linda looks after received such a letter and they still have outstanding snagging issues.

Absolutely NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nice to see calidonas legandary customer service extends to post purchase as well !!! 

Most of these moans seem to be about Roda and not the comunity.

If you are not happy with the comunity turn up to the AGM and voice your concern.  I do agree on phase 2 we have all been in over a year now so the comunity stuff should work. pool lights etc and if it does not then it should be fixed ASAP. Not paying wont help in fact if we all payed then we would have more money to make sure everything is fine.

Hi Patrick etc.

Like Mike, I couldn't agree more.  It seems that even the most "pro Roda" amongst us are getting fed up, these aren't just idle moans.  We are losing money through lack of facilities and having to reimburse or cancel clients after working hard to attract them in the first place is not what we bought into. 

Hi all,

             just received a letter today regarding nonpayment of community fees! according to this letter Apartment p21 faze 3 are in debt to the amount of 39.300 euros. My outstanding dept is 0 euros. They are saying that this nonpayment could affect services such as maintenance, gardening or cleaning. But more alarming is the threat of cutting off water and electricity.  I say cut off water and electricity to the nonpayers does anyone know if this is possible? I'm realy very annoyed that we seem to be unable to sort theses people out.

Margaret

Hi Margaret

I've received the same letter today too.  All our fees are paid up to date, but it's wrong if we suffer because other aren't paying.  It's supposed to be a community, and we want the gardens and pools to stay first class,  as they are now.  If things get neglected due to non payers, it will spoil the lovely resort we have.  It could also have a negative effect for prospective purchasers, for those that are thinking of selling.

DiShaw

Hi All - I agree - I to received this letter and was very surprised at the amount overdue ! Does anyone know how many apartments there are on Phase 3A ? It seems a huge amount ! ( €39300) Also I cant see how they can cut us off from electricity as these bills are paid seperately. Maybe they will only cut off the non-payers ? It is all rather worrying though, especially  if they stop the maintenance around the Phase. Why do some people think they dont have to pay ? I would like to know their reasons if they read this thread !!! (by the way my balance is nil !)

Hi cat p,

                Have been told that the water and electricity refered to are the community and not individual properties. But that means swimingpool lifts and lighting. Just great !!

This is going to be brought up at the next a.g.m. which is on 13th March. They will decide what can be done. Told that they have funds for approx 2-3 months what then! just in time for the new season.

Margaret

Hi All, we are also in phase 3a and are also up to date with our community fees but we have not received the letter about the non payers or notice about the A.G.M. I would be interested in attending the A.G.M. so can someone post information about it , venue,time,etc. Many thanks, Des and Gina.

I think they may already have started to reduce money spent on electric.  A few weeks ago, where our apartment is in Phase 3a the grounds and pool area were lit up at night.  Now they are not.  I had thought before I read Margaret's comments below that this was perhaps just a fuse blown or an electric switch having been accidentally turned off.  Now I'm not so sure.  Is this just the start of what's to come?