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12 Sep 2015 8:16 PM:

Thank you once again for your replies.  Some good suggestions.  Asking the Administrator to pass on my email address is a good idea.

The point about whether he has been receiving commissions is interesting.  I'd not thought about that. Also re the President effectively being an employee of the Community, that is an interesting point.  Tom, what are your thoughts on that?

Also Tom, @ossie1, you sound like you have done an amazing job.  Recording the meeting is a good idea although they are often a nightmare, you lose the will to live they go on so long and in no way can be described as civilised or dignified. A reason I think many don't go.  Also I don't find that the minutes accurately reflect what was said so I may record the next one.  Another problem is that many of the owners don't even bother to read the minutes and so don't actually know what is going on.  They just want to enjoy the time they spend in Spain, which I understand.  It seems community business has tarnished your experience which is very sad, especially after all your hard work.  I would be interested to know which administrator in Marbella you have used as I think that is part of our problem.  Perhaps you would pm me.  With regard to how hard working the President is.  Not very.  His main focus appears to be on policing the pool which has resulted in an unpleasant atmosphere and many owners would like to sell.  It didn't used to be like that and it's so sad as it is a wonderful urbanisation and it doesn't need to be like that.



Thread: Presidency or Dictatorship!

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10 Sep 2015 11:26 PM:

Thanks everyone for your replies.  

Contacting all the proxy voters is difficult as the administrator won't give us contact details and they don't visit the urbanisation often.  I have had a house in the complex for thirty years and this is the first time a President has had his community fee waived.  A previous President asked for this but it was refused. Previously they just had their expenses covered.

There seems to be a general opinion that our community fees are very high for just 27 houses.  It's in Marbella, if that makes any difference.  The pool is a lagoon style, though normal size. We don't have any security or lifeguards.  Just one gardener and basic communal lighting.  The houses are town houses but built in a chevron interlocking style and when the community was first formed it was decreed that the pool would be painted every 2 years and the whole complex every 5 years.  In fact you were not allowed to paint your house independently, they all had to be painted together to maintain uniformity and because of the style of the houses it is difficult to ascertain where one house ends and another begins.  This hasn't been done for about 15 years.  (The pool has been painted though)  I keep bringing it up but they say the community can't afford it... yet they can afford to waive the President's Fees!

With regard to the President's expenses, there is a figure in the accounts "gastos a justificar Presidente" for 819 euros. Bit of a cheek when his fees are being waived!  Only just noticed that.  The fees are around 275 per month, mine are anyway, for 3 storey houses, of which the President has one.  Some of the houses are only 2 storeys and so their fees are less.. something I've never understood as the footprint of the houses are the same and we all only have one parking space and receive the same services.  Just looked in the accounts and his fees are 277.72 per month so he is benefitting by 3332.64 per year. In the accounts it shows as extraordinary expenses.

I have tried to attach a copy of the summary of the accounts but my account needs to be approved (how do I do that?).  The main expense is the gardener and the swimming pool. I could ask to see all the receipts but I'm no accountant and I don't think I would be able to offer anything to reduce the community fee.

I agree that I think the President is abusing his position but this was done at an AGM with the Administrator present so I, along with everyone else, presumed that it was legal.  I can't afford to employ a solicitor so was hoping for some clarification as to whether this is legal.  I've read the suggested blog but it doesn't seem to be clear on this. Also I don't understand about a quorum, can someone explain please, in words of one syllable!  

I don't know if he is declaring these benefits in kind to the revenue.  

This is the second year that he has had his fees waived and at each AGM he had more proxies than people present. 

There is no point in 'buying him a beer' and explaining things to him.  This man, and his wife, is drunk with power and causes trouble for anyone who stands against him.  You wouldn't believe some of the things that have gone on! He is an old man and this is the only power he has ever had in his life and he's not going to give it up easily!

 

 

 



Thread: Presidency or Dictatorship!

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09 Sep 2015 8:53 PM:

Our President managed to get it approved at the AGM that he doesn't have to pay Community Fees in exchange for the work he does. This equates to 3,200 euros per year, not an inconsiderable sum!  

I don't consider that he does enough work to justify this and the work he does do I would rather he didn't... such as behaving as a policeman at the pool and creating an intimidating atmosphere.  Anyway I digress.. My point is that he has got this through because he makes it his business to get as many proxies as he can and so basically he proposed this and voted for it himself.  There are 27 houses in the community, of which only 8 are residents, the rest are second homes.  They always hold the AGM in March, a time of year when no-one is there, and the owners that live abroad are happy to give their proxy to the President as they don't really want to get involved, just want to enjoy their house when they come on holiday without any aggravation, and believe me he causes aggravation.  

At the last meeting there were just 6 people present, one of whom was the President armed with all his proxies.  Even if the 5 present objected it wouldn't have made any difference as he has more proxies than there are permanent residents.  In my book, this is not a democracy but a dictatorship!  Is this legal?  Is there anything to be done?  He also proposes and votes himself in as President and has allocated himself an extra parking space.  Every other house only has one space so he has effectively increased the value of his house.  As for the residents, they daren't stand up to him as he has so much power, everyone just wants a peaceful life.  Of those that do get involved we feel we don't have a voice.  There is no point in objecting to anything as he overrules everything and then you suffer the consequences.

Any ideas?!

 



Thread: Presidency or Dictatorship!

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04 Nov 2013 11:43 PM:

Thanks Hugh_man for the explanation.  You're absolutely right about comparing services and making sure you are getting value for money.  I think the problem is being unfamiliar with what is available in a foreign country, what is a reasonable cost for something and of course the language problem.  Also not wanting to be viewed a troublemaker.   At our meetings it is very difficult to understand everything that is going on because it is in Spanish, rightly so, we are in Spain, but it doesn't make it easy for the foreigners to start questioning things.  With our community the residents don't have a good attitude towards the owners whose property is a second home which doesn't help either.



Thread: Extra Fees to cover Shortfall due to Debtors

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04 Nov 2013 10:46 PM:

CostaBlade, I know, sorry!  Still it's promoted some good discussion and ideas.  I don't know why our fees are so high. We aren't a big urbanisation, there's one swimming pool and gardens, but nothing particularly large.  That's it, no lifts or anything like that.  We have one gardener who looks after the pool and gardens and also acts as maintenance man.  I am going to look at the next lot of accounts in depth.  We do get given copies of them but it's just a list and I've never thought to go through them properly, silly I know.

They are always complaining there's not enough money in the pot and certainly the complex isn't in particularly good repair.  I've been complaining about getting the houses painted.  It was originally in the Statutes that you weren't allowed to paint them individually as they are town houses and then the urbanisation wouldn't be uniform, and they were supposed to be painted every 5 years.  That used to happen but hasn't happened for a long time and so people have been painting their houses themselves which has resulted in the complex looking very hotpotch.  As I brought this up and because they've said there's not enough money they've now said that it's each owner's responsiblity to paint their own house which I think is wrong.

hugh_man Please can you explain "Contribution of fees is based on coefficients of square metreage of your property normally including terraces and store rooms nothing to do with footprint".  Does that mean in simple terms it's based on how big your house is?  If so why should that mean you pay more than anyone else? 

 

 


This message was last edited by RubioExPat on 04/11/2013.


This message was last edited by RubioExPat on 04/11/2013.
Thread: Extra Fees to cover Shortfall due to Debtors

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