Yearly Condo Management Fee

[Firefan]

Grrr....

I own a condo here and a big owner (somehow connected with original developer) owns about 20% of the units here - which for 5 years have been left empty/not decorated.

Up until last year they still paid their yearly condo management fee but they have stopped paying and other owners have been asked to pay more in management fee. Naturally we will have to pay up as the alternative is that the management company (Plus+) will leave and services/repairs/maintenance Etc. will stop leaving the building in shambles.

At the same time legal action is being pursued by the building commitee but I am being told that the Thai laws in this area means that this will take years+no way can we stop access to the units(many used for storage by owner)+even if we WIN it will be very difficult to actually auction the units(for whatever legal reason).

Anybody experienced this? And any tips/ideas?

Cheers!

[Heng]

Not much you can do, IMO, if the property management team isn't even your side. Normally, when people don't pay, the property management team should cut the water supply to said units. In this case, it probably wouldn't matter if those units are being used for storage.

[ilyushin]

Call for a meeting of the condo union. Vote for a new policy and send a notice to cut water ,lock the doors which will be opened once they pay their overdue fees. it worked at one of my condos.

We had all the unit numbers with outstanding payments posted and their security cards cancelled. Pay and you get back in.

All contract are different ,but there should be a way to stop them from getting in the units.

[The_Moog]

Yes, we have had precisely this in my Block.

The building is strata freehold title, which has meant the owners committee has some teeth.

The original developer now sits in her Penthouse flat here. Like some kind of vertical Alcatraz - loathed by all residents.

There has been legal action.

She responds by barricading the access road (which shrewdly, she kept access to).

She is one of these viperish billionaire Thais with a helmet haircut. Shouts and screams obscenities at her underlings. One of the most obnoxious people I have ever met.

[Firefan]

Heng; the management company (Plus) is certainly on our side - and are helping to coordinate the law suit Etc. but Plus is simply a service hired by the housing commitee - and would naturally say bye,bye if not receiving any management fees....

I have, together with a couple of other owners, requested a meeting with the chair man of the housing commitee (who apparently works for emmigration/ministry so I might fix my visa at the same time - he,he).

Cheers!

Not much you can do, IMO, if the property management team isn't even your side.  Normally, when people don't pay, the property management team should cut the water supply to said units.  In this case, it probably wouldn't matter if those units are being used for storage.

[Dragonman]

Call for a meeting of the condo union. Vote for a new policy and send a notice to cut water ,lock the doors which will be opened once they pay their overdue fees. it worked at one of my condos.

We had all the unit numbers with outstanding payments posted and their security cards cancelled. Pay and you get back in.

All contract are different ,but there should be a way to stop them from getting in the units.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Firefan. If you are dealing with a large Company with only storeage this may not work. However I do not see why the legal action seems to have so many obstacles. Perhaps a new lawyer, with better ideas? It seems an obvious case for an interlocutory injunction to prevent access to the building until fees are paid as per the contract. Someone ask the lawyer why he feels this is not possible.

[Firefan]

Thanks for the tip - dragon. I will bring this point up with comittee chairman too. Cheers!

[LindsayBKK]

I bought a unit and had to pay 5 years worth of fees (200,00bht) cause the previous owner didn't pay anything. And management don't seem to care if people pay or not because they don't charge any late fees.