AlastairSC
Registered User
- Messages
- 357
Hi all,
Here's a story with a sad ending - or maybe not if experienced players can advise......
I bought a two-bed courtyard-facing top-floor apartment in District VI, (Hunyadi Sq, off Andrassy) in 2004 and rented it until 2006. In that year, the residents agreed to sell the roof space to a developer who planned to build two extra floors, renovate the facade and interiors, install a lift and create a roof garden. So no rent last year while works are ongoing. But... a nice modernised building afterwards, or so we all thought.
Two days ago, I received a letter from a Hungarian friend who lives in an apartment on the same floor. This is what it says:
<<<<<<<<Hi Alastair,
The reason why I'm contacting you is that we have issues with the ongoing construction in our house. The constructor decided, without authorization, even without asking anyone in the house beforehand, to build two more apartments on the seventh floor, essentially a whole new level. This violates our agreement at several points:
- we agreed on building max two more levels
- max number of new apts is 16 (now it's 18 or 19, because he intends to split one of the larger flats into two smaller)
- we agreed on keeping a community terrace on the front side of the building accessible to every tenant. Now it's gone.
His authorized construction plan does not allow him to build these extras. I had the house rep to write him a letter asking for immediate cessation of the illegal construction. He declined on the basis of economic interests. I filed a complaint to the local authorities, which halted the construction and imposed a fine of about 15000 Euros. This will not stop him on the long run since he hopes to realize 500,000 Euro+ extra profit from this two extra apt alone.
Now he stopped construction in the house claiming that without roof he cannot protect his investment (in the original plans it was flat top insulation).
In the last storm my flat was badly damaged, walls and ceiling are soaked (I guess this is a real threat to you apartment too). Therefore we have to take immediate actions.
We called a condo meeting on the 4th of September to vote about these issues. I personally object the construction of any further levels. Beside being aesthetically very displeasing, it will further decrease levels of illumination for those having apt facing the court. I am sending a proxy to allow me to cast your vote on motions I would like to pass at the meeting if you would agree to let me use it.
László
>>>>>
I sent my friend the proxy vote. I also sent notification of the meeting to the management company who look after the apartment for me
and asked them to take the following actions:
1. Attend the meeting to represent me.
2. Make contact with my friend who wrote the letter above at the meeting and check if he has received my proxy vote from Ireland in the post.
3. Speak to the meeting for me and make known
a) my disgust for the way the developer is treating the residents and
b) my full support for whatever my friend proposes including any legal action and
c) convey my thanks to the meeting for the way he is dealing with this serious matter.
4. If the proxy vote was not received in time for the meeting then I asked them to vote for me, supporting any action my friend proposes and conveying my thanks to him publicly.
I also emailed the solicitor who helped in the original purchase to ask if there anything he can do to have the developer keep to the original approved plans or compensate the tenants for the changes? The value of the courtyard-facing apartments will be reduced if this goes ahead. I'm not sure how effective he is or how motivated he might be to help, though.
Is there anything more effective I can do? I apologise for the long post but I was thinking that experienced folk might need all the relevant facts.
Thoughts welcome, as ever. Thanks
Alastair
Here's a story with a sad ending - or maybe not if experienced players can advise......
I bought a two-bed courtyard-facing top-floor apartment in District VI, (Hunyadi Sq, off Andrassy) in 2004 and rented it until 2006. In that year, the residents agreed to sell the roof space to a developer who planned to build two extra floors, renovate the facade and interiors, install a lift and create a roof garden. So no rent last year while works are ongoing. But... a nice modernised building afterwards, or so we all thought.
Two days ago, I received a letter from a Hungarian friend who lives in an apartment on the same floor. This is what it says:
<<<<<<<<Hi Alastair,
The reason why I'm contacting you is that we have issues with the ongoing construction in our house. The constructor decided, without authorization, even without asking anyone in the house beforehand, to build two more apartments on the seventh floor, essentially a whole new level. This violates our agreement at several points:
- we agreed on building max two more levels
- max number of new apts is 16 (now it's 18 or 19, because he intends to split one of the larger flats into two smaller)
- we agreed on keeping a community terrace on the front side of the building accessible to every tenant. Now it's gone.
His authorized construction plan does not allow him to build these extras. I had the house rep to write him a letter asking for immediate cessation of the illegal construction. He declined on the basis of economic interests. I filed a complaint to the local authorities, which halted the construction and imposed a fine of about 15000 Euros. This will not stop him on the long run since he hopes to realize 500,000 Euro+ extra profit from this two extra apt alone.
Now he stopped construction in the house claiming that without roof he cannot protect his investment (in the original plans it was flat top insulation).
In the last storm my flat was badly damaged, walls and ceiling are soaked (I guess this is a real threat to you apartment too). Therefore we have to take immediate actions.
We called a condo meeting on the 4th of September to vote about these issues. I personally object the construction of any further levels. Beside being aesthetically very displeasing, it will further decrease levels of illumination for those having apt facing the court. I am sending a proxy to allow me to cast your vote on motions I would like to pass at the meeting if you would agree to let me use it.
László
>>>>>
I sent my friend the proxy vote. I also sent notification of the meeting to the management company who look after the apartment for me
and asked them to take the following actions:1. Attend the meeting to represent me.
2. Make contact with my friend who wrote the letter above at the meeting and check if he has received my proxy vote from Ireland in the post.
3. Speak to the meeting for me and make known
a) my disgust for the way the developer is treating the residents and
b) my full support for whatever my friend proposes including any legal action and
c) convey my thanks to the meeting for the way he is dealing with this serious matter.
4. If the proxy vote was not received in time for the meeting then I asked them to vote for me, supporting any action my friend proposes and conveying my thanks to him publicly.
I also emailed the solicitor who helped in the original purchase to ask if there anything he can do to have the developer keep to the original approved plans or compensate the tenants for the changes? The value of the courtyard-facing apartments will be reduced if this goes ahead. I'm not sure how effective he is or how motivated he might be to help, though.
Is there anything more effective I can do? I apologise for the long post but I was thinking that experienced folk might need all the relevant facts.
Thoughts welcome, as ever. Thanks
Alastair