we have an awkward neighbour!

larryf


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 24

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 16:33

Hi All,

We are on a site with 5 villas, 8 apartments, and 1 swimming pool. One owner purchased 2 apartments and had them converted into one living space with one electric meter, and one water tank. One lady bought 3 separate apartments, with 3 electric meters, and 3 water tanks, she lives in one, the other 2 are empty, (one for rent and one for sale) This Lady refuses to pay 3 maintenance fees for her apartments, She says she is only 1 owner and should pay only 1 fee. She thinks the man who converted his 2 apartments into 1, should pay 2 fees, and that the villa owners should pay more in maintenance fees than the apartments. We have tried everything but cannot find a solution that she will agree to. We have no maintenance company. Our pool is empty and our site is not being cared for. Has anyone any advice on how to solve this problem please!!

JohnW


Joined: 23/04/2009
Posts: 601

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 16:53

Yes. Sell it. Get a villa where you are not subject to anyone else's whims.

paddywack


Joined: 04/05/2009
Posts: 959

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 17:15

Buy somewhere without neighbours,can assure you it is an ideal situation.

CarrieRBag



Joined: 23/12/2008
Posts: 1374

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 17:57

Sounds like you have 13 units of accommodation and you pay according to what you own...ergo...1=1; 3=3 and that his how, in my opinion, it should be apportioned but how you get them to pay is beyond me. Is there nothing in your contracts to say what you pay?

dizzycows


Joined: 12/05/2009
Posts: 2736

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 18:07

with you on this JohnW... you only got yourself to moan at if the pool needs cleaning ...

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 18:38

Shoot her!



Richard

deputydawg


Joined: 30/03/2010
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 18:55

Tell her a one third payment only entitles her to 8 hours in every 24 on the site, utilize the one third payment to fill the pool, then drown her, as her unreasonable stance does not hold water !!

yrret


Joined: 17/08/2010
Posts: 761

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 19:56

I would say she is far too poorly educated to hold any kind of intelligent conversation with unless it is 100% in her favour.

She says she pays 1 portion for 3 units, yet the person with 2 into 1 pays twice.

I would say any kind of logical reasoning is well beyond her, and it sounds as if she can't afford her commitments, and as is often the case it will all be someone else's fault.

Probably living beyond her means hence the one up for sale as opposed to two up for rent and retain the assets.

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 20:00

Never ever buy on a "communal site"

Roomy


Joined: 20/02/2011
Posts: 836

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 20:46

Exclude the properties she isn't living in from the maintenance contract, let them rot.

IbrahimAbi


Joined: 24/10/2010
Posts: 245

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 20:46

In the absence of sensible replies I would suggest thet this is time for leagal action. Is your site a legal 'site' or not?

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 20:48

are any sites legal , or not ?

larryf


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 24

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 21:37

Hi All,

Thanks for all your constructive comments! Our contract said that the builders were to manage the site for the first 12 months. Some of the owners on the site thought they were not doing the job properly and told them to leave. We do not know what arrangements this Lady had made with them while they were in charge of the maintenance She wants the builders back, but the majority of the owners do not. We have sought legal advice, but as we have not received our deeds yet, there is nothing legally we can do as a group.

philbailey


Joined: 17/01/2011
Posts: 3534

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 21:39

Msg 13, no deeds

and you "kicked" the builders out

was that wise ?

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 21:42

Msg 13

Still shoot her!



Richard

larryf


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 24

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 21:46

Hi philbailey, msg 14.

unfortunately we were not in Cyprus when this happened, a lot went on at that time. The builders emailed us and told us they had left the site, that it wasn't working out for them.

yrret msg 8.

You're so close to the truth its frightening! are you sure you don't know this lady???

canada


Joined: 17/05/2011
Posts: 195

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 21:47

fill in the pool with soil and plant a tree

philbailey


Joined: 17/01/2011
Posts: 3534

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 21:50

When will people listen to the warnings

about buying property in Cyprus

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 21:54

you privvy to some info phil

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 21:56

Msg 17

Where have you been? Please address your own post/thread as you have many patients awaiting your final diagnosis for the remedy of the predicament you're in!!



Richard

larryf


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 24

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 22:11

Msg 17

I'll bring the tree if you'll bring the stethoscope!

fosterscan


Joined: 27/02/2010
Posts: 541

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 23:05

Larryf i think she is correct that the villas should pay more than the apartments and that the 2 into 1 should pay for 2 but she should be paying for all 3 of hers aswell imho but you need a meeting to sort it out.

larryf


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 24

Message Posted:
05/06/2011 23:30

Thanks for you advice fosterscan.

the maintenance was only on the pool and communal areas, the villas and apartments were all using the same amount of that space. so the fees were divided equally. the 2 into 1 apartment is classed as 1 apartment because they only have 1 water tank and 1 electric meter. we had a very constructive meeting with a new maintenance company but the Lady in question walked out. So we feel are all being held to ransom by one person.

Smity



Joined: 14/09/2009
Posts: 826

Message Posted:
06/06/2011 00:29

If this lady has 3 seperate apartments, lives in 1 so she pays for that, rents one again she pays for that as she will no bought be charging for people to use it,she is also trying to sell one that she owns then she pays

I think she is trying to pull a fast one

MsGarnet


Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 989

Message Posted:
06/06/2011 00:47

You cannot reason with unreasonable people. That said, you say you have a new Maintenance company. Therefore, it is for THEM to sort this problem out - why have a dog and bark yourself? The amount per apartment should be divided equally, you all pay your portion for your apartments, and the Maintenance company must chase her for her THREE tranches. Have you got it in writing who the Maintanance company is, what their brief is, a named representative of that Maintenance company and their contact details? They must not wait until they have her three portions to do their job - if they do - remove them and nominate someone else to maintain the property - why should anyone suffer for one bad apple who is not paying her way. It makes sense that the two into one apartment should only pay one amount, as they only have one tank and meter. If she doesn't understand that, it must be because her one brain cell is making so much noise, rattling around in her skull!!!!!!!!

ttoli


Joined: 24/03/2007
Posts: 1172

Message Posted:
06/06/2011 00:54

If at some point in the future the pool does get filled and the Lady still isn't paying, then advise her tenants/Holidays makers that they have to pay to use it, Not fair on the Tenants I know, BUT, will make the lady think twiceabout potential loss of income.



Have had a similar situation myself, argued with them till I was blue in the face, then asked if they were paying rental tax, situation resolved.



Neither of the above sound fair, but If you let them, the b**tards will try anything, Have even heard the excuse"Im Cypriot so dont have to pay"!!, Quite who kept turning off their water supply, I couldnt say!

larryf


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 24

Message Posted:
06/06/2011 01:01

Thank you MsGarnet for your advice,

At the moment there is no maintenance company on site. We did have a meeting with a new company, they gave us a figure of how much it would cost to maintain the site and pool each month, all the property owners agreed to share this amount equally except this one lady. At first she said she would only pay for 1 apartment. when she was told in no uncertain terms that she should pay an equal share for each of her 3 apartments, she stormed out of the meeting and said "I pay nothing now" The meeting was dissolved and now we are back to square one. I just cannot see a solution to this. it is very frustrating.

larryf


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 24

Message Posted:
06/06/2011 01:08

Thanks ttoli,

All advice is worth considering!

fosterscan


Joined: 27/02/2010
Posts: 541

Message Posted:
06/06/2011 01:24

larryf

on a small site like yours why not sort the maintance out between yourselves contact a pool company to get the yearly cost you could find a local to do the gardening and odd jobbs. This would save you a lot of money.Dont let the site get run down just becaus of 1 owner even if she is really 3 owners I still say the 2 in1 should pay for 2 though it was there choice to buy and convert if the lady removed her meters and said they are 1 now not 3 would you want her to only pay for 1.

ttoli


Joined: 24/03/2007
Posts: 1172

Message Posted:
06/06/2011 01:25

Larry, In light of your comments Msg 27, Im pretty sure that there is in law here,precedent for an owners commitee which(If correctly set up) says that if 51% of the owners reach a decision, It Can lawfully be implemented(If I am wrong, I'd welcome clarification).



From recollection the outshot being each property owner, contributes towards legal costs and action being taken against the plaintive(Mere threat of this may suffice?).



You are not alone, there are other threads on this subject(If you can find them , though, You are a better man than I).

ttoli


Joined: 24/03/2007
Posts: 1172

Message Posted:
06/06/2011 02:08

Larry, Dont know if this thread helps , http://www.cyprus44.com/forums/9731.asp

Deniz1


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 3829

Message Posted:
06/06/2011 07:14

We have a reverse problem the deeds say that only the properties immediately surrounding the pool have to pay the others dont! However its been suggested that they pay a lesser sum to help the rest. Seeing as its the larger properties that dont have to pay and they are the ones with lots of people who want to use the pool its very unfair.

ROBIN HOOD


Joined: 26/05/2008
Posts: 238

Message Posted:
06/06/2011 10:59

Join the "stop the blackmail campaign" The morte that know the better.

larryf


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 24

Message Posted:
06/06/2011 13:27

Thanks ttoli. The thread you sent makes very interesting reading.

Thanks to everyone for their advice.

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
06/06/2011 14:35

It should be done by floor area. People with big flats (more guests using pool) should pay more than people with small flats. People with villas should pay more for the same reason.