Condominium Fees
#1
Just Joined
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 8
Condominium Fees
So here we are in Jan. 2022.
Our Condominium committee has just published its 2021 Accounts with the proportions allocated to each flat owner in the 2 Buildings they manage. 18 flats in total.
I was startled at the monumental fees that some flats have run up over the last 2 years. Us included.
At no time during the last 2 years has the committee chased the individuals for payment, they've just let them run and run, bit like a lottery roll-over.
We're currently negotiating with the committee to waive some of the monthly fees due to the fact we've only been able to visit once in the last 2 years due to Covid and no flights operating.
Has anyone else experienced this, we're a broad mix of locals, Brits, French & Scandanavians in our building.
Our Condominium committee has just published its 2021 Accounts with the proportions allocated to each flat owner in the 2 Buildings they manage. 18 flats in total.
I was startled at the monumental fees that some flats have run up over the last 2 years. Us included.
At no time during the last 2 years has the committee chased the individuals for payment, they've just let them run and run, bit like a lottery roll-over.
We're currently negotiating with the committee to waive some of the monthly fees due to the fact we've only been able to visit once in the last 2 years due to Covid and no flights operating.
Has anyone else experienced this, we're a broad mix of locals, Brits, French & Scandanavians in our building.
#3
Re: Condominium Fees
It depends on what the fees cover..... mine in the Algarve are purely the costs of cleaning and maintaining common parts and block insurance..... with major works agreed and billed separately. In this case, I could see no justification for a discount. Even if there are ancilliaries like shared pools, etc., if these have been kept up and open - and the condominium was never asked to close them - than I see no reason for them to offer a discount. It is hardly their fault that you have been unable to use the facilities - we too have used our Algarve property less than we would have expected due to restrictions - and we live in Portugal!!
Surely, as an owner, you know and agree how much your condominium fee is? The fact that the condominium has not chased up your arrears is likely a combination of Portuguese "Deixe Lá" and avoiding the costs of chasing up debts..... it is hardly an indication that the money is not owed. If the condominium has not discharged its duties under Portuguese law, you may have cause to complain - but otherwise I think you need to agree a payment schedule and decide whether or not you want to keep the property.
Surely, as an owner, you know and agree how much your condominium fee is? The fact that the condominium has not chased up your arrears is likely a combination of Portuguese "Deixe Lá" and avoiding the costs of chasing up debts..... it is hardly an indication that the money is not owed. If the condominium has not discharged its duties under Portuguese law, you may have cause to complain - but otherwise I think you need to agree a payment schedule and decide whether or not you want to keep the property.
#4
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 0
Re: Condominium Fees
Living in a block of 26 (admittedly in Hungary) I find this incredible. You have a monthly fee, to be paid monthly, regardless, unless you expect other owners to subsidise you.
Here, defaulters have a legal charge registered against them / their property.
Here, defaulters have a legal charge registered against them / their property.
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2021
Location: Abergele, Alges and Faro (boat)
Posts: 281
Re: Condominium Fees
I agree with comments above that the fees are still due, whether owners have used apartments or not. If the charges are just for the two buildings with own management committee (not a maintenance/management company) , I would ask one question though - if they have been able to continue maintaining the place and paying bills despite large amount of subs owing, are contributions set too high? How much of a reserve do they need?
#6
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,148
Re: Condominium Fees
I'm also surprised why you wouldn't want to pay the fees. When people buy a property on a complex, it's usually because they want somebody else to maintain it and if there is no money to maintain the standard you'd expect, the value of your property drops.
#7
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 0
Re: Condominium Fees
Funnily enough, when we bought this apartment, we did the handover on Sunday 2 February 2020, at which time we obtained details of the monthly fee and the House bank account.
I set up a standing order for the first working day of each month, with the first payment going on 3rd February and subsequent payments going on 2nd March and 1st April. Mid April we had a communication "you haven't paid!". Obviously I could prove otherwise. Maybe our common rep assumed that as we are English we probably weren't intending to pay and she hadn't gone looking!
I set up a standing order for the first working day of each month, with the first payment going on 3rd February and subsequent payments going on 2nd March and 1st April. Mid April we had a communication "you haven't paid!". Obviously I could prove otherwise. Maybe our common rep assumed that as we are English we probably weren't intending to pay and she hadn't gone looking!