Rear court maintenance
Robert posted on the 29/05/2013 9:20:36 PM
Hi our Factor is trying to bring in a Grass Cutting contract for our back court 'roughly fortnightly @ £80 per month' £3 per flat.
Our property is on a corner and is shared over 3 closes,currently 2 owners do the cutting but are giving it up.
However these people are the only users of the back court! And let their dog's run around,and use it for garden parties surprise surprise they are on the ground floor!
My thinking is I am going to be paying for their use? I do not use the garden at all! The factor say's if the get 13 or more of the 24 owners they will go ahead,but my thinking is they should be seeking 5/8 of each close.As each close is it's own entity,anyone else any experience of this?
I know the back court needs maintained,but I feel I am just paying for these peoples 'Sunning area' not to mention the lay-abouts whom rent and pay nothing of any bill's!
- 6 Replies :
#6 - Robert replied on the 30/05/2013 10:14:47 PM
With reference to the above replies - thank's for your time.
Someone mentioned the title deeds, it has no provision for this matter.However it states the back green is a 'Drying Green' and not to be used like Alexandra park on a summers day! It also stated that 'No pets were to be kept in the flat's,a bit ironic that the owners whom want this maintenance carried out both have dog's!
#5 - Anon replied on the 30/05/2013 8:14:02 PM
Could you not negotiate the frequency, I'm sure our back court is done once a month over the summer months and that is enough maintenance to keep it tidy.
#4 - anon replied on the 30/05/2013 10:55:56 AM
£80 is a horrific charge for cutting a postage stamp sized piece of grass.
I really object to paying this in my close. My 'grass' is 2m squared.//
#3 - The Mentalist replied on the 30/05/2013 10:10:22 AM
Back court is the responsibility of all in the close. Â It is also there for the use of all. Â Don't feel intimidated into NOT using it. Â You pay for it, you use it.
#2 - anon replied on the 30/05/2013 10:07:22 AM
My thinking is that all occupants that have shared access to a shared facility that's integral to the property they should be liable for their share of the maintenance costs.
And (unless your deeds or land certificate or equivalent say otherwise) if there's a majority in favour of the factors' completely reasonable maintenance proposal.
Any differing opinions of residents about as to what constitutes appropriate use of that shared and maintained space is a separate matter to the one of liability for maintenance.
Even if people aren't actually in the back court, doesn't mean that they don't appreciate it being maintained to an appropriate standard. And for those that do use the court, what's wrong with using it as a 'sunning area', or for parties (within reason), or letting dogs out (assuming they're reasonably well behaved and picked up after)?
I sympathise with you if you are unfortunate enough to have fellow residents (or landlords) who are not paying their allocated share of factoring fees but that, too, is a separate matter to the one at hand. Â The factors have legal routes open to them with regard to recovery of non-payment and it's worth talking to them to make sure these routes are being taken advantage of as appropriate.
#1 - anon replied on the 30/05/2013 10:05:08 AM
If you feel it's worth fighting over for £3 a month then go ahead, but you'll probably notice the difference when its not maintained.  Fact is tenement living requires that owners all contribute to communal areas even if they feel like they don't get a great deal of personal benefit from this.  On the flip side if you're a top floor flat owner with a leak coming through the roof you'll find it problematic when the rest of the block say 'well, why should I pay for it, I don't even use the roof!'
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