Maintenance Charges
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 127
Maintenance Charges
What have people's experiences been with maintenance charges? Do they provide value for money in general and how well are most properties maintained? Not sure how the system works in SP where you have communal areas, is there usually a residents' committee ?? A friend of mine in the UK was in a leasehold flat where the maintenance charge was simply a license to print money - she found it very difficult to sell the property for that reason.
#2
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 373
Re: Maintenance Charges
The thing with service/maintenance charges you are never in control. Some are value for money, others are not. Some pay them, others do not. A leasehold means you only own the space plus the maintenance of that space for a period of time. Not the building or the land.
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Costa Blanca
Posts: 3,142
Re: Maintenance Charges
There has to be a community committee by law - there is an extensive law covering this aspect but as always depends on the community as an earlier poster said some are good and some not so good. Do extensive research on how it is working in the community before buying. If you rent you do not pay directly (the landlord does) or get a vote on any community issues.
#4
Re: Maintenance Charges
IMHO, the system of community charging is better regulated in Spain than in the UK where the management agent / factor can charge whatever he likes for his services.