You see how hopping mad you are at those who don't pay in your estate, well I feel like that about you.
I knew that was where you were heading. However, I beg to differ on your rationale here given my account of my situation. As previously stated, I am in favour - in principal - of a property tax. Notwithdstanding that, how could it be
reasonable to expect me (and there are thousands of others in exactly the same situation in respect of their own estates)to pay an
alleged service provider who has treated me with utter contempt and failed miserably to provide the most basic, fundamental
service i.e. taking my estate in-charge.
Yes you are right to be annoyed at the council, but they are not a somebody, they don't have feelings and don't care if you pay or not.
I'm not sure where your going with that? This is not personal - but it is situational and the points I raised stand. As regards them not caring whether we pay or not, you think it doesn't mean anything if 70% don't pay? At a more local level, you think that it doesn't mean anything when we have made it clear to our local representative that we don't intend to pay?
You are biting off your nose to spit your fact by not paying the charge, no matter what you do you will eventually have to pay it and heftly, you and the others in your estate should be sure that you are aware of the implications.
Ah yes, instilling fear is a great motivator! We had that with the 2nd democratic referendum - you know the one..where the people said 'no' so the democratic thing to do was vote again.
We shouldn't have been put in this position - but here we are. Is there any point at which you would have the fortitude to take a stand - or would you simply accept anything that was decreed by our
democratically elected peers?
The council
Yes they are incompetant and wasteful, all over the country. They don't reply to your letters etc. Well how do you make them reply. Have you tried hiring a solicitor. Do they ignore your letters altogether? Have you tried meeting with them. Would bombarding them with letters work? What works with councils, does anyone know?
Ok, so you have identified that there is something fundamentally wrong with these public authorities - yet you will add more fuel to the fire by throwing more hard earned money at them? Again, I have to call on monagts analogy - it's akin to offering a free bar to an alcoholic.
If he files accounts, he's still in business, but does he have assets, is he a 'mark' would he go bust if pursued, is he liable for completing, does your contract with the builder have anything on that, these are questions you might want to ask the solicitor who did the purchase for you
This really doesn't matter. Either the developer finishes it or the council accesses the bond and does it. Where is the grey area? Where is the need for further discussion? It really IS that simple. But of course, this is all dependent upon what way the council would prefer this to play out....and we know exactly what that is.
Enforcement notice
What exactly is this. The council issues a document with this title to the builder telling him to complete the estate? And when he doesn't what is the next legal step and how do you get them to bring the builder to court. Presumably this document has some legal weight, does it have to be the council to bring the case, and how does one force them. More questions for your solicitor.
He was issued with a notice of non-compliance with one aspect of his planning consent. He ignored it. You talk about legal avenues - you must be worldly enough to know that this is a route that requires a lot of thought before taking such an option. We are a development of less than 30 dwellings - where just 50% are actively contributing to efforts with this. All in negative equity - and like the rest of society, dealing with their own financial woes to varying extents.
Residents forced to pay maintenance charges
Do you see the irony of the fact you wish it were the law that your neighbours pay these charges in your estate but you don't want to pay the household charge. I do agree with you though, I think there should be a mechanism to force everybody to pay up. It works on the continent.
No - I don't see the irony at all. See the first point I made at the beginning of this very post. They are NOT comparable. To refresh your memory, I AM in favour of a property tax in principal - and WILL pay this
SERVICE charge the moment our estate is taken in charge by the
SERVICE provider i.e. the Co.Co.
Local representative
What exactly is he doing to help? Does he bring it up at council meetings. Can you go to a higher level. Have you thought about writing letters to your local newspaper complaining about the council.
What is he doing? Well, when all is said and done - nothing tangible insofar as I can see. It was discussed on local radio as recently as last Sunday - not specifically regarding our estate - but again, this reinforces the point of just how many people are affected by this.
On another positive note, from my Greek friends who I was discussing this with, as you do. Apparently services have actually improved there, because.... the civil servants are being more productive as they are afraid of losing their jobs. But trust me we don't want to go anywhere near the pain the Greeks have.
I truly do see your viewpoint - as I think you now see mine - but I think it's a case that we nevertheless will have to agree to disagree as regards my stance on non-payment of the household charge.