Dictatorship or what??

Hi Susie

We have a 2 bed 2 bath first floor apartment on Thalassa and our community fees are 95 euros per month!

We were led to believe they would only be 60 Euros. Beware, its all to do with whether there is a lift in your block and how big a terrace you have.

Huggy

On the subject of lifts, why do first floor apartments have steps leading up to the front door and then get charged for a lift they are never going to use?   Same for ground floor apartments. 

I realise the response will be "it must be shared equally between the whole block" but feel it is very unfair to the 4 apartments in each of the 13 blocks concerned. 

However, I have been advised by Seasun and this is confirmed in the notice under item 4 wherein quotas will be approved, this can be decided by the community.

Does anyone know a reason why the lighting and telephones in the lifts may cost 6,000 p.a. each?  Under "Gastos Generales"can anyone enlighten me as to what conserjeria are as proposed annual charges for these are 36,000?

Don't know what context Conserjeria is being used but translation is - Concierge/Helpdesk

Noreen

This is probably in reference to the GateKeeper, I think!

Regards,

Lorraine Braid.

It is not just the first floor that will only occasionally use lifts for heavy items, in blocks 38-40 the door from the garage comes in half -way up the block so most apartments in those blocks will not need to use the lifts all the time as they are only one set of steps away from their apartment.  However, the lifts are there and the owners in the blocks will have to share the costs. But I agree with Suzi Q that the costs should be scrutinesed very carefully.  None of us will want to pay more than we have to.

David 

I can see that many people would say some charges perhaps should not be made for areas we are unlikely to use.

If you don't have a garden so why should you pay for the water to irrigate it or the gardener to mow the lawn?

If you don't swim so why should you pay for a pool?

If you don't drive so why should you pay for a road?

Should we not be accepting the fact that we all benefit in the long term from all the facilities. They are communal areas from which we all benefit.

My keyholder lives on the fourth floor, don't fancy walking up all those stairs.

My friends have an apartment on the sixth floor, don't fancy walking up those stairs to visit them.

I like to look out onto gardens even if they are not mine.

If you dont swim your family, friends and guests may like to swim.

If you don't drive your guests most likely will have a car. Don't fancy walking from Consum with all the shopping!

It great to get in a lift to the top floor and have a look at the incredible views.

I thought a community charge was for communal things .

I can't see why there should be a difference between any of us.

It is not supposed to be rates like the UK, that will come separately anyway.

I agree with what you say Lee, of course we should pay for communal things whether we use them or not and I have no difficulty in paying a larger share because I have a large apartment (relatively, that is!). My gripe is that the cost of parking spaces and lifts (for those that have them) should be the same for everyone and not apportioned on the size of the apartment.  What is the logic for charging more for parking slots just because the apartment is bigger.  You can still only get one car in the space!

David

Correct my maths if I am wrong but the proposed lift charges have not been shared out amongst the community - only the 13 blocks they apply to - and are therefore not a community expense but a specific one.

The charges are quite considerable, in our case, almost an extra 200 euro per year.  Our first floor apartment has steps to the front door and a covered outside parking space so we never have occasion to use the lift, unless invited to do so by someone living on a higher floor.  Additionally these lifts have notoriously been out of action for some time (as reported previously by arranleesmith) and the emergency telephone service appears to be useless.  

Whilst I take the point that community services and facilities should be shared by all and completely agree, I think that charging the whole block en masse is unfair in practice.  However, I'm sure this will be discussed at the meeting on saturday.

I agree totally.

The community charge should be the same for everyone. Not just one block. Some people may have benefits which appear to be more than others. Some would say that the charge should be how much space you occupy. Surely the area you occupy is not an issue as Seasun will not be looking after your space unless it is a garden, which we all benefit from.

One question to which I would be interested in an answer.

Whose rain is it?

Our patio gets the rain from apartment above us and the one above that. When it rains we practically need to sweep the water away, otherwise it would come into the apartment. Our drainage is appalling!

The cleaning we have to do is much more than most.

Lee

While I accept that you have a valid point in relation to the community charge unfortunately the charge is based on a percentage of the total annual cost of the maintenance of the complex. We were informed by our Solicitor before signing the deed at the Notary Office that the percentage for which we are liable is provided for in the Contract and is not subject to change. I can only assume the same applies to all apartments. So it would appear the only way we can keep community charges low is to keep the overall cost of maintenance of the complex at a reasonable level.

Regretfully I have no solution to your drainage problem other than to suggest that would appear to be a matter which should be dealt with by Seasun as it is a problem common to several apartments.

Eamon 

No, everyone does not pay the same amount for community charges.

There are many variables which apply, including the size of the property, whether there is a garden, whether there is a lift etc etc.

Seasun are in the process of re-issuing the community fees as there are a couple of amendments to be done & they are also going to add a few extra columns to show more clearly, exactly what you are paying for.

Noreen

Does anyone know about the card we all should have received with our welcome pack?

Apparently it entitles us to vouchers to be able to be spent at not sure of the spelling" Cort Anglaise" . It is the place I believe KeyMare use to furnish the apartments.

With the card you get a list of approved shops . It is a bit like getting discount, but in goods.

It may help with the furnishing of the apartments with pictures etc!

It was a little thin card (literally) with Key Mare logo on it, it went with the list of outlets where you can get a discount, Vera Hotel being one of them.  I don't remember seeing El Corte Ingles on there.

I know Gema in the Customer Svs office has access to them as she gave one out to a resident the other day, so may be worth paying her a visit.