Jonathan Knight

We are part of a 5 villa community with a central pool.

Three of us (Brits) get on well, love Turkey and have just bought one of the properties between us for two reasons. First, we plan to rent it and use the rental to cover the communal costs of the whole property thereby making our houses 'free' to use apart from our own, mainly internal, maintenance. If there's anything left over it might contribute a little spending money to each of us. Secondly, and more importantly, owning 4 out of the 5 houses between us gives us more control over the site.

Our problem is the fifth owner. A Turkish family in their late 50's but living in Germany who, it would appear, don't want to pay anything toward the upkeep of the development. They pay their own gardener but refuse to pay towards the pool or other communal costs such as perimeter wall painting for example, or well pump maintenance even though they benefit from the use of pool and well water.

Last year they came up with a new excuse. One of the 3 of us mainly rents their house whilst we and the other couple don't, although we occasionally have friends and family stay there. The Turks feel that the family who rent should pay a larger proportion for upkeep because they are making money from the site.

This year I have little doubt they'll say that the house we have bought to rent should pay our communal costs, even though they haven't laid out any investment capital toward the purchase.

We are tempted to ask them to sell their house to us too so we'll have total control of the development but I'm guessing that they'll want an inflated price even assuming they do want to sell. At the moment, they're onto a good thing with minimum outlay and maximum benefit so why bother?

The question I have (sorry its taken a while to get there) is can we force the 5th house to contribute and if so, at what level? We have no sitesi agreement and the builder didn't set one up. I can't remember if there's any stipulation in the Tapu but I doubt it. the site is 4 years old.

We 3 are getting a bit cheesed off with feeling taken advantage of, not to mention the impact it could eventually have on the site. For example, the perimeter wall was painted last year but because they wouldn't contribute, their 'bit' didn't get painted so we have a beautiful white wall around the site apart from a nasty grey bit where their house it. We'll all probably have our houses painted at the same time with the same effect. But also, the general costs are increasing. The well pump has just been repaired, 780ytl, the pool needed a little work before startup, 1500ytl, we are told pool maintenance this year will be more because the cost of chemicals have gone up and so it goes.

If anyone has ideas or comments, I'd really appreciate them.

Thanks

J

immac

I think you will find there is nothing you can do about it. Their point, which I have heard many times, is if you are renting then the extra wear and tear, use of pool chemicals etc by renters should not fall to them to pay - reasonable, some might say.

Unless there is something in the lease that you can hold them to, accept it and don't go to war.

Ian

Higgy

Try to think what might happen if you were the only British owner
with 4 Turkish owners and you refused to pay your share.

sapper

Can't you restrict the supply of the well water to them as you have paid for the pump and suspect you are paying for the electric. If so cut his supply off.

Jonathan Knight

Thanks for the replies so far.

Difficult to restrict water Sapper as all the pipes are in the ground and fed by a single pipe from the well pump.

The site electric bill is getting hefty but that's for wall and path lights and pool and well pump. If we restircted these, it would affect our use of the site as well.

Interseting point about what would happen if we were the only British and didn't pay. I suspect umnpleasant things would happen whilst we were away!!

J

sapper

I am sure you could find the spur that supplies his water - will not be buried deep. Dig it up and blank it off. Should not be that difficult.

Even disconect his path lights and wall lights if it doesn't effect the other 4 villas. make his life hell as he is just taking the piss out of you.

Terry&Sue

I agree with Immac.
All this extreme action on a tiny complex seems the wrong way to go but dont know an alternative apart from letting things lie.
The forum seems full of disputes recently when all people want to do is enjoy their holiday home in simple fashion.
Maintenance is certainly becoming a huge issue with complexes and shared amenities which makes one wonder whether the single private villa approach where one owner is solely in charge is the best idea.
Complex owners are different diverse individuals yet they are shoved together in unison to sort and agree a mutual problem.
We had a neighbourhood watch years ago and it disbanded because you could never get complete agreement.

sapper

Come on Terry - why should for Brits get the pi** taken out of them. As Higgy said if if it had been one Brit against Turks they would do something.

I would say to them first - agree we use more water and chemicals than them - agree to say in 1 in 7 split but if they say no - cut their water off as the Brits pay for the electric to pump it around.

Mr Turkey

Hi Jonathan,

This is a real difficult one, and there arent any easy answers. It is only right that people pay their fair share, but if you are renting heavily, you might want to consider the effect that has on the enjoyment of the complex for others and are you really all paying a truly equal share.

Clearly this couple have a regard for the appearence of the complex, as they pay for a gardener. This might give an opportunity for an approach, and ask if they have any ideas on how the complex should look. Having raised the issue, try and have an open discussion and see if you can resolve differences. Consider being concilliatory.... a small contribution beats none by quite a margin.

I have always liked carrot and stick. How about approaching this person and jointly tell him that you are prepared to Write off what has been owed, and accept a reduced figure for future payments. His alternative is that you will take him to court - for all of it. You need to mean it if this line is advanced.

Think long and hard before you take action . Good luck.

MR TURKEY.