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Original poster

Cheeky neighbours want me to pay

435 replies

eggfairy1 · 12/04/2022 22:55

New neighbours bought a flat in my building. There are eight flats in total in the building.

I haven't met them yet but they're buying for investment and I found it posted online for rent already.

I came home the other day to find the main door to the building had been painted. It was shabby before and could do with a coat but this was surprising since I hadn't been consulted and it was a shared door. The new colour is black which I was always told was a bad omen. I really didn't like it but didn't want to make a fuss.

They have now emailed us saying they want the flats to equally contribute £25. Lovely to meet you too.

It may not sound like a lot of money but I am really budgeting right now and my weekly budget for fun is £30 and it would have to come from that which is miserable.

I just know if I send them the money I will be bitter about it and anxious that they may expect me to pay in the future without consenting me.

If asked, I would have reluctantly agreed to have it painted just not black.

Is there any way I can get away with not paying and not entirely ruin any relationship with them?

OP posts:
Luilabelle · 14/04/2022 23:32

Is there no service charge paid monthly/annually for the communal areas? If so this should cover communal decorations. Legally you should be served a notice where a sinking fund does not exist to cover such costs and you should be consulted about cost, changes of colour etc. Also you should be given the opportunity to recommend contractors to undertake the work.
I know this as i work for a housing association where we have to serve section 20 notices to leaseholders in advance of undertaking planned maintenance. Don't be bullied into paying if you cant afford it.

Wheresmywoolyjumpers · 14/04/2022 23:38

It is really important not to pay and to be clear that if they expect contributions, they have to agree the work with you in advance.

DMinChi · 15/04/2022 00:16

To be honest I wouldn't be worried about what sort of relationship you're going to have with them, they're buy to let landlords you're unlikely to have any sort of relationship with them.

At the end of the day they painted the door to make it look more attractive to potential renters - asking you to subsidise their marketing so they can earn money is unfair, also whatever they paid to have the door painted you can bet your bottom dollar will be listed as an expense on their tax return.

I would politely decline to pay the money and tell them in future that the residents need to be consulted and agree to the costs before any work goes ahead.

You sound like a nice person and that's why you're worried about how you might appear, but don't feel bad over declining to pay. You didn't ask for this money to be spent so you have nothing to feel bad about.

FlowerArranger · 15/04/2022 04:02

@eggfairy1

So far I have ignored the message but I will update if they send another. All of my friends and family without hesitation have said that they would just pay to maintain the relationship and everyone on here is saying not to pay. I am so torn.
Why are you still focusing on the small amount of money requested for painting the door...... instead of getting to grips with how the building is managed and whether it is even insured?

If there is no management company, and the owners aren't even talking to each other, this is a disaster waiting to happen. You say it's an old building - and these require a huge amount of upkeep, and yet no one seems to be dealing with this?

This is a totally ludicrous situation!

WiddlinDiddling · 15/04/2022 05:05

@NurseBernard good point - it occurs now there absolutely ARE CF's out there who would claim repainting the hallway in Farrow and Ball or recarpeting the communal area are 'emergency works' and not limit that to 'shit the front door fell off' or 'it is raining indoors'!

OP, in the absolutely kindest possible way... get a grip of yourself love, this is the tip of a MASSIVE iceberg, and if you don't stick up for yourself now, the next few years could be hell on wheels!

BuanoKubiamVej · 15/04/2022 05:48

It's not about the amount of money. If you meekly pay up this time that sets a precedent. Then what do you do if next time they decide to commission work without consultation for something that costs thousands? Being agreeable for the sake of a quiet life and good relationships is sometimes really stupid.

The saying "good fences make good neighbours" isn't just about physical fences. It's about having and respecting appropriate boundaries and this new neighbour is coordinating a totally disrespectful raid into your wallet. The amount is irrelevant, you need to insist on proper respect for boundaries or they will be permanently ignored.

2DogsOnMySofa · 15/04/2022 07:46

The problem with paying now, even if it's 'only' £25, is that you set a president for them carrying out further work and expecting you to pay. What's next? £100 each for stair carpets, £200 for interior decoration, £1600 for new windows etc. all sourced by people who don't involve you in decisions and have 100% of the control. Tbh even if I thought it was a reasonable amount I'd not pay as they didn't consult you, or get quotes etc

HaveringWavering · 15/04/2022 07:49

I 100% agree with those who say that you should pay now it make it very clear that they went about it the wrong way and must consult in future.

I also don’t think that £200 is unreasonable for a good paint job. However you say OP that you “came home one day to find the door had been painted”. Unless you had been on holiday, there is a no way that a proper multi-coat job with all the right prep could have been done in the space of one day. You’d have seen the painters over a couple of days as you were going in and out.

Re the bad omen- the door of 10 Downing St is black. Nuffsaid.

RachaelN · 15/04/2022 07:59

No, they should have asked before they did itm they can't just ask you for money.

Sswhinesthebest · 15/04/2022 08:27

@eggfairy1

So far I have ignored the message but I will update if they send another. All of my friends and family without hesitation have said that they would just pay to maintain the relationship and everyone on here is saying not to pay. I am so torn.
Say you’ll pay on this occasion but won’t in the future unless you are consulted.
MarvellousMonsters · 15/04/2022 08:33

Paying up quietly sets a really bad precedent. Communal work needs to be agreed on in advance, including quotes, not just done and invoices sent out after.

MrsBellamy · 15/04/2022 09:47

I work in factoring and deal with tenements.

£200 to paint the door is actually pretty reasonable to be honest and close doors traditionally would be painted black or red (nicer closes tend to have windows in the door with white beading giving a nicer look to the black door)

Do you have a factor? Might be worth setting up a committee with the other owners and self factoring where regular meeting are held to agree on improvement works in advance. - your title deeds will stipulate how many in your block constitutes a quorum, if you have quorum at a meeting and a majority agree with works then all owners are legally liable for a share of the works.

Your title deeds will also determine if shares are equal shares or by "rateable values" or "square footage" if the title deeds are silent on shares then it reverts to equal shares per the Scottish Tenement act.

I've linked to legislation relating to factoring/communal repairs below

Scottish Tenement Act-
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2004/11/data.pdf

Under one roof- (this website was created to replace the tenement handbook) and was created by the authors of the handbook and has loads of info on setting up a committee and what repairs could be needed in a tenement building etc.

https://underoneroof.scot

Property Factors act-

https://www.gov.scot/publications/property-factors-scotland-act-2011-code-conduct-property-factors-2/

Common Repair Common Sense- this is a PDF created by Scottish government to advise on common repairs in the building

https://www.gov.scot/publications/common-repair-common-sense-guide-to-managing-tenements/

Hope this all helps, but you're welcome to PM me if you need more help/info.

readsalotgirl63 · 15/04/2022 10:13

Hooray @MrsBellamy - spot on. @eggfairy1 - If I were you I'd bite MrsBellamy's hand off !

Stilsmiling · 15/04/2022 11:13

I would reply to everyone saying something like:
“Thanks for the email. Apologies but I must have missed the previous email consulting about the painting of our doors (colour, cost etc).”
And await response….

Mackymacmacface · 15/04/2022 11:19

Whoever shared your email is in breach of gdpr privacy. No need to reply (or pay) for the door painting, as that assumes you've read your emails. If asked, you could always claim that as you didn't recognise the sender (since you've not supplied them your email address), you immediately moved the email to junk and set up an instruction for any other emails from that address to go there automatically.

Bananamam4 · 15/04/2022 12:09

You don't have a relationship with them so don't pay and don't worry Smile

Comefromaway · 15/04/2022 12:13

@Mackymacmacface

Whoever shared your email is in breach of gdpr privacy. No need to reply (or pay) for the door painting, as that assumes you've read your emails. If asked, you could always claim that as you didn't recognise the sender (since you've not supplied them your email address), you immediately moved the email to junk and set up an instruction for any other emails from that address to go there automatically.
GDPR does not apply to private individuals.
Comefromaway · 15/04/2022 12:16

Or to be more precise Article 2 of the GDPR states that the GDPR doesn't apply to a "purely personal or household activity."

So passing on a neighbours email address to a new neighbour would come under the above.

Comefromaway · 15/04/2022 12:17

If the estate agent had passed on the details that would be against GDPR

ginghamstarfish · 15/04/2022 12:42

Agree with PPs, communal stuff should surely be notified beforehand, quotes obtained, colours agreed etc rather than just one person taking control. I'd refuse in this instance quoting the above.

Jillyfernilly · 15/04/2022 13:23

There is some bad advice on this thread.

I'd listen to @MrsBellamy the situation for tenenments (or tenement like) buildings in Scotland is very different to that in England.

My advice in this situation would be to register strongly that you are unhappy there was no consultation as required by the title deeds and state unequivocally that if this happens again you will not pay but as a gesture of goodwill you will pay on this occasion.

Send this to ALL your neighbours not just the ones who spend the money.

And do think about setting up something more formal with your neighbours. Tenement maintenance can become a total ball ache.

Mackymacmacface · 15/04/2022 13:33

@Comefromaway corrected thankyou but still not brilliant for neighbours to be sharing email addresses without consent imo

Heythere13 · 15/04/2022 13:35

I think any enquiries in to the management of this building is going to open a Pandora’s box
FGS it doesn’t seem there’s any buildings Insurance

The door is going to open a can of worms I suspect

TigerLilyTail · 15/04/2022 13:35

My advice in this situation would be to register strongly that you are unhappy there was no consultation as required by the title deeds and state unequivocally that if this happens again you will not pay but as a gesture of goodwill you will pay on this occasion.

I don't really understand why you are advising her to pay when it seems most of the neighbors don't want to pay. Surely, that would put them in an awkward position.

Personally, I'd ignore it and if they approach you in person, just say you didn't know anything about it but don't like the color. They can't force you to pay, so not paying would be the best way to ensure it doesn't happen again, in my opinion.

Heythere13 · 15/04/2022 13:36

And I reckon the “very very overbearing” neighbour has paid and sully on board with new owner because something is finally being “done”