Cyprus-Forum.com

[Tim Drayton]

[...]
This link is the official regs if you scroll down a ways, you will though lose the will to live reading it

http://www.cyprus-property-buyers.com/f ... gs-law.pdf

[...]

I have read through the text of this law, and it is quite clear that the Management Committee comes into existence once a jointly-owned building is registered in the Land Register, which has nothing to do with the issue of title deeds.

Certain large developers are notorious for enagaging in the practice of mortgaging completed properties to finance their future projects. This practice may prevent their registration as jointly-owned buildings in the Land Register, and this may explain why certain developers continue to be responsible for the maintenance of the properties which they have built long after their delivery date.

[Gasman]

It is my understanding that ALL apartment owners pay towards the communal charges - pro rate depending on size of apartment. They cannot 'opt out' because they don't use the lift, or the pool, or the stairs. And the owners of the empty ones too have to pay.

[Tim Drayton]

It is my understanding that ALL apartment owners pay towards the communal charges - pro rate depending on size of apartment. They cannot 'opt out' because they don't use the lift, or the pool, or the stairs. And the owners of the empty ones too have to pay.

That is my reading of the above law, too.

[Kangarooster]

I have one bedroom apartment in Peyia the only facilities are a communal pool and a small garden area (approx 2m x 20m). The developer is charging 900 euros pa for the maintainance. At the moment I am refusing to pay due to (a) I think it is to much, and (b) they will not issue a bill or receipt.
How does this compare to others ?
Ps, there are 40, 1 and 2 bed apartments, I think the 2 beds are being charged 1200 euros pa.

This is quite reasonable and cheap.

In Sydney, a 2 bedroom apartment in the Eastern Suburbs will cost you around 600,000 Euros, with an indoor pool, gym, lift and secure car parking. The strata fees (you call them communal fees) are around 8,000 Euros pa.

A 2 bedroom apartment in Bondi, Manly, North Shore, Darling Harbor or anywhere in the CBD will cost around 1 million Euros with strata fees in excess of 15,000 Euros.

Strata fees are payable for building maintenance, security and maintenance of facilities. So the more facilities you have in your building, the higher the strata charges.

Prices are only slightly cheaper (10%) in Melbourne.

So Cyprus is a very cheap place in comparison.

I've seen you do this on another thread too. Stop comparing Cyprus with other places. Different situations there. Compared to some other random place Cyprus could be REALLY REALLY expensive.

[beverley10]

gasman is right but we have had no luck in making the developer disclose his figures or pay for his that he has rented out.We have put away our communal fees pending his reply to our request of accounting.

[Z4]

gasman, why are you called gasman?

[B25]

I have one bedroom apartment in Peyia the only facilities are a communal pool and a small garden area (approx 2m x 20m). The developer is charging 900 euros pa for the maintainance. At the moment I am refusing to pay due to (a) I think it is to much, and (b) they will not issue a bill or receipt.
How does this compare to others ?
Ps, there are 40, 1 and 2 bed apartments, I think the 2 beds are being charged 1200 euros pa.

There is a large Developer here in the East that has used the same type of 'contract' to lock people in to a nice little earner for him for years, and in a few cases I know of personally refused keys without signing with their maintenance.

But unless any of you own title deeds the Developer is the legal owner, so it is the responsibity of them to maintain the building etc but go thru an independent lawyer and get him/her to get a breakdown of costs etc

This link is the official regs if you scroll down a ways, you will though lose the will to live reading it

http://www.cyprus-property-buyers.com/f ... gs-law.pdf

One solicitor in Limassol successfully got a management committee registered who did not have their deeds at all, they, the residents had also been fleeced by their Developer on communal charges, so maybe things are slowly changing in favour of the residents. But be warned non payers are in breach so please get an independent lawyer onto this rather than just ignoring payments. It may well work against you even though your payments might/are far to high. Good luck

I am not so sure about that. Our block of flats is about five years old and the title deeds are still pending, yet there has been a very successful residents' committee in operation here from the outset which takes care of all maintenance and expenditure.

Tim, Milo is correct. Any management committee needs to deposit the agreement at the land registry and without the title deeds the Land registry will not accept it. Therefore the committee has no legal powers to enforce anything.

What would normally happen is that any non paying owners could be taken to court by the committee to get payment, without an official agreement it is not possible to take such action.

The case that Milo quotes, from what I have read elsewhere, was a pure fluke and the land registry made a mistake any accepted it. I understand that subsequent applications were refused, although I stand to be corrected.

900E sounds steep, but it is not unusual depending on where the property is. It is just unprofessional for the developer not to issue any statements or receipts. Infact any vat requires a receipt by law and so he cannot deny giving it. Try that avenue tricky.

Unfortunately, you cannot win with these people as when you want to get your title deeds or sell they will a. make it hard for you, b. make you pay up anyway and c. probably make you pay interest as well.

Good luck.

[Tim Drayton]

So our residents' committee is actually a waste of time and the developer is technically still responsible for meeting these costs?