Service Charges - Community Charges in Spain

What do you think about people that dont pay their service charge?


If you buy an apartment or a property within a community then you know, when you buy it you have to pay a service charge or ground rent. Same as in the UK. So why buy an apartment and not pay the service charge?


Where we own apartments for 7 years we have always paid our service charge and if a day came when we couldnt - we would email the president and explain the situation and assure him that the money would be paid as soon as possible. Times are tough and these situations do occure - of course they do.


But there are people on our community and probably many others that have NEVER paid! I just cannot understand it.

Some people that dont pay just have never been to their apartment, dont use it and well not too sure why they bought it. But its the people that do live in their apartments and use all the facilities that the Service Charge Covers that I and many other owners get rather pissed off at. So they use the pool, use the car park, use the security guard and some even have the cheek to complain about things.

Then you have other owners who dont pay yet rent their apartments out constantly to holiday makers who continue to enjoy all the facilities that havent been paid for by their apartment owner.

Why would you not pay service charge? I dont mean for 1 month or 2 months but Im talking 2,3 4, 5 or 6 years even.

Is it because you dont have money?

or

What?

I cant really think of any other reasons why people would not want to pay for facilities they use. I personally could not walk around the community, sit and chat to other owners by the pool and see and often come face to face with the president knowing I have not paid my community charge.

Well, there is a new law out - Im not 100% of it, but UK residents who have property here and not paying their services charge - I understand that it is possible they may have bailiffs knocking on their doors.