Community fees

Hi should community fees be reduced because owners can not use holiday homes

Sutch as la Torre  

Good afternoon Tomcondado.

In relation to your question below, Community fees are paid ultimately for the benefit of all owners, without payments a community cannot afford to maintain upkeep of key areas which ultimately are a key factor in renting or using your property. As with everything, we are seeing due to this pandemic, some support should be given and everyone must consider a "haircut". 

No rental and no use cannot simply mean no community fees but a reduction should be discussed and your appropriate president should be questioned and address the matter to the whole community. 

Hope this helps. :)

EU Property Solutions

Hello Tom

As far as I am aware community fees are non profit fees paid for the upkeep and maintenance of the community whether you are in occupancy or not. Of course the fees could be reduced by no work and maintenance taking place, but the community may soon become a slum. You could ask the normal workers to work for free and possibly leave out a small food parcel, but that may be difficult if you are absent.

Yes your right I should pay for something I don't use 😃  

There are many people who live full time so may be they should pay more 

Hello Tom

Maybe that’s something you should have considered and been aware of before purchasing a part time holiday home. If you were not informed that you would be liable for the same community charge as permanent residents you should consider legal action.

Do you receive a discount on your property community charge in the UK when you are away in your holiday home in Spain?

Good luck.

Community fees are determined by a quota of the properties on the community. The fees are for a 12 month period and are payable come what may. It is not the community's fault that you are unable to use your property. You were the person that decided to purchase knowing there would be an ongoing commitment for upkeep. Of course, you could not pay and wait for the community administrators to publish your name on the debtor's list at the AGM, which would then result in recovery charges.

I think you knew what answers you would get before you asked the question!

So everyone should not have made any comments because should of known virus was coming.  If you two have booked flight don't go crying for refunds. 

What are you prattling on about now? You are making no sense.

Are you not going to pay your IBI? Are you not going to pay your basura? Are you not going to pay your non residents tax? Are you not going to pay your electric standing charge? Are you not going to pay your water standing charge? The answer to all of these is yes, you will pay them, even if you don't go to Spain, because otherwise there will be consequences. There are also consequences if you decide to dodge your community fees. You are privileged enough to be able to afford a second home in a foreign country, which comes with commitments, which you agreed to. You can't pick and choose what commitments you wish to honour, just because you can't get out there to visit. It may be a difficult time for many people at the moment, but if you think you are safe in the UK from any debts you incur in Spain, think again because they can and possibly will come after you and your assets in the UK.

The authorities are unlikely to be bothered with UK assets when Tom has his part time holiday property in Spain. COVID 19 has and is causing great financial hardship to many and Tom’s case must be one of the most serious.  

Apart from a two week interval when absolutely everything was forbidden, we have had the pool maintenance, gardeners, street sweepers and Uncle Tom Cobley and all working.

The street lighting has had to be paid for, the pools checked and topped up with whatever gubbins they stick in it. The water purity checked and so on,

A couple of walls were starting to peel for some reason and they have been repaired. A drain was blocked and had to be cleared, they were  around this morning doing the cockroach spraying.

Now, even if you're not here, these things have to be done. I can imagine people coming out after a 6 months keep away order and finding dirty pools, walls crumbling, street lighting cut off because the bills weren't paid, overrun by cockroaches and smelly drains. These things have to go on even if people aren't using the property. and they have to be paid for. 

Sorry, but cutting community fees would not be a good idea and I think it especially important that places are maintained properly. 

Yes your right  I also have a place in the USA and there maintenance fee as been taken over by the government so was just asking

I have increased my payment to the horse sanctuary in Spain so any money I could of saved on community fees would of gone there  but I will never come on here again due to some people who have had two weeks in benidorm thinking they know everything 🤔😆😄😜

** EDITED - Against forum rules **

It may be difficult for other community members to understand why you should be financially subsidised in order to gift away your liabilities with their money.

Perhaps there are more desperate people who do not have homes in the UK, Spain, USA and the rest. There is enough in the world for everyone, but not enough for the greedy!

So resorting to personal insults now Tom? That's what I call classy.

"Some people who have had two weeks in benidorm thinking they know everything"  I am fairly sure that most if not all of the people on this forum joined it because they have had or have assets in Spain. I would love to pay less community fees etc etc, whilst the crisis is ongoing, however as the majority of people have replied, things still need to be maintained and paid for. Tomcondado you clearly don't like the honest responses so I suggest you take your issue up with the Spanish prime minister, perhaps he will give you the response you want, or more likely not.

Our community fees are €2200 per year, when we purchased the property a few years ago, we decided to buy into this lifestyle and accepted the fees{like we had a choice}. But the main reason why the fees are so high, when the economy took a down turn, people stopped paying and the complex fell into disrepair. The community has worked hard to restore and improve the complex for all. The fact I can’t get to Spain hurts a lot, but this is life and but we met all our obligations without question.