Community charges..... non-payers....direct action?

Talking of community fees, i pay 602 euros every 3 months and thats for a 2 bed apartment.  The 3 beds and penthouse are even more, CAN ANY  ONE TOP THAT  LOL

Very true Tinto.

Also the difference in community fees (generally) between the Costa Blanca & the Costa Del Sol is vast, though I know that the Polaris World communities on the CB charge a lot.

This is very true, luckily we do not have lifts or green areas which is why ours is lrelatively low.  Without going off  topic Moreroasdo (I have been trying to p.m. with no success), how did you do that it is amazing!

Pads: "Talking of community fees, i pay 602 euros every 3 months and thats for a 2 bed apartment.  The 3 beds and penthouse are even more, CAN ANY  ONE TOP THAT"

Well, there's a disaster of a community near me that I've mentioned before, where some of the larger apartments pay over €300 per MONTH. Of course, as Tinto says, you have to consider what services are included in the charge. This particular community had central heating and air con to all apartments until a couple of years ago, when the cooling towers were shut down due to a risk of Legionnaires disease. Thing is, since then, the community fees have only gone up, despite owners now getting less for their money!

As Denise points out, lifts are a big expense, as are green areas - which not only need tending to by a gardener, but also need loads of (expensive) water. Swimming pools are also costly to maintain. All these are things which one should consider when thinking of buying a property in a community. If you are looking at a resale in an established community, you can ask how much the fees are, and even ask who the administrator is and go talk to them to find out if there is any major work pending for which extra payments may be required etc. etc. But, if you are buying off-plan or new property, you may not be able to find these things out, so think about how many individual properties there are which will be dividing the cost of maintenance between them.

On the contrary, I think they are high - but you asked if anyone could top it! The question is, do you think you are getting value for money? What services are included?

The community I mentioned includes water - but I only pay around €170 a year for water, so that doesn't make so much difference. It also includes hot water, so there's some saving on heating bills. Again, probably only marginal. Apart from that, they have 2 pools, the larger of which now only opens a couple of months in the summer (used to open 6 months, same as the smaller one, but they're cutting back on lifeguard costs); 24 hour security (although there never seems to be anyone in the office when you want them); very well kept gardens and communal areas; and a mini golf course, now defunct; otherwise, nothing out of the ordinary. The community comprises around 500 apartments in 5 separate blocks, each with 2 or 3 lifts. The property is 40+ years old, in need of extensive rennovations to the facade and electrical installations etc., and the outstanding debts currently run into 6 figures. Like I said, disastrous!

(Anyone looking for a cheap apartment in Torremolinos, I know of a community with plenty for sale!)

IT MAY BE ILLEGAL TO CUT OFF FACILITIES TO NON PAYERS AND THEIR TENANTS, BUT THEY CANNOT TAKE YOU TO COURT BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO NOT PAY

THE FEES..ALWAYS WILL GET THEIR ATTENTION.

Hi new to this site. I am experiencing all the same problems in our community. However, there is a way to deal with the outstanding money without going through Spanish courts.

Use UK courts. New legislation at start of next year will make it even easier.

I can help any community recover outstanding fees from people in any country. It will not take months and they can be threatened with having their property sold after about six weeks if they do not respond.

The reality is why should everybody else suffer for the ignorance of a minority.

I am based in UK so easy to take instructions and discuss what needs to be done.

Easiest to get me by email. Don't know if that is possible. Not sure if I can put it on here. Don't want to break the rules on my first visit!

Please get in touch if you need to engage my services.

Intriguing post! Are you talking about claiming money owed by British (UK resident) owners, or anybody? Surely, British courts would not entertain debts owed by Spanish owners of Spanish property? Or?.......

Hi Roberto,

There are means of doing it against any nationality through the british courts.

Contact me if you require further details.

Regards,

Steve

Just curious, really, as I've never heard of that possibility. Fortunately, all our owners pay on time and we have no outstanding debts.

You are very lucky!!

You know where I am if you need anything.

Like many communities, we have the standard Spanish television, which I understand is a requirement for new builds and also Sky dishes, which were erected and paid for by the community after construction. I am told that it is illegal to disconnect debtors from the television service, but does this apply only to the Spanish TV? It seems to me that if owners are not fulfilling their obligation to pay community fees then there should be no legal obstruction to disconnecting them from what is purely a community owned leisure service the withdrawal of which would not affect basic living standards.

I think you will find that it is NOT legal to deny debtors any Community facility, however unfair this may sound.

The only way, and it takes ages, to sort out the debtors is by Court action.

Hi Plexx

Sorry but you will find that Karensun is correct, it does seem unfair but when you think about it the same system applies in the U.K. and no one bothers too much there.  Also similar to the U.K. court action is the only way to go, it may take longer here but everything always does, and usually the Community wins and is awarded costs.  You do need to have this subject brought up, voted on and recorded at your next A.G.M./E.G.M. however, before you can proceed.

What if you have a key entry system and the debtors want extra keys then surely you can deny them this or charge them an exorbitant price for additional keys as we have fulfilled our obligation by not preventing access.

Hypothetically what if you gave them no keys. They would then have to take the community to court--how long would that take.

Many urbanisations are really struggling this year with the credit  crunch and hugh debtors lists to a point when lifts, pools and cleaning--the basics are under jeopardy, I fear this problem will get quite bad this year.

noddy