Cheeky neighbours want me to pay

[eggfairy1]

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?

In Scotland it’s common for old flats to be freehold and self factored (so no management company).
I agree you should get insurance for the buildings (and maybe confirm your neighbours have too).
Old deeds are often not detailed enough so the government have produced guidance you can read more here:
underoneroof.scot
and here:
www.gov.scot/publications/common-repair-common-sense-guide-to-managing-tenements/

unless it’s an emergency repair (which it definitely wasn’t) you are under no obligation to pay, and I wouldn’t.

OP, it's interesting what you say about the contrast between IRL responses and responses on here. I have wondered before if some people are perhaps more assertive online than in the real world.

That said, I think it's entirely reasonable for you to point out to the new neighbours that they would have had to consult you first if they wanted to you contribute financially. They don't get to make decisions for everyone.

I understand about not wanting to get the relationship off on the wrong foot, but you can try to be nice in tone while steadfast in content. Good luck.

Agreed.... I'm just speaking from the experience of living in a 1960s block.... while they annoy me at times, on the other hand it means that works are carried out with approval and some sort of oversight.... also they ensure that appropriate building insurance is in place (not personal effects etc)
I would not be for paying this 'invoice '.... however, I would be for contacting the others in the building and discuss how to move forward and consider a factor to help ensure this doesn't happen again.... and the new non resident owner doesn't say that they will act as factor etc.... everything should be agreed by some sort of majority....bur thank the new owner for hilighting this issue.... 🤔

To be honest, the fact that it's only £25 is neither here not there but for me the problem would be if I pay this time, what are they going to do next? They have bought it to rent out and so they are definitely going to want to do the hall area next to make it look attractive to future tenants. If you all agree to chip in for the door then in the not too distant future you will be asked to chip in for that too....and where will it end.

OP you don't seem concerned that you don't know if you have building insurance. Have you looked into that? I thought that when buying through mortgage the building insurance has to be in place once exchange has taken place. That for me would be a far bigger issue than the issue of the door.

I've never lived in flat with setup like this. If there is no maintenance company or monthly service fees then there are some rules in place? Or can anyone just decide on a maintenance thing and people just have to pay?

You have said that your Deeds states that any works have to be agreed by a majority of apartment owners and if it is, then all apartment owners are obligated to pay towards it. Since there was no consultation with you then there was no proposal for work and no vote...hence you are under no obligation to pay.

I would absolutely not pay. Common curtosey is to consult other apartment owners before doing communal works. Arrogant and impolite behaviour merrts no manners in return. Without quotes for the work showing the work was priced at a fair cost and receipts for work done this could all be a scam by the new owner who did the work themselves or had a mate do it and is chancing their arm to get some quick cash. Moreover, if you pay now without at least questioning the work, how it was instigated and lack of consultation then you are implying that you agree with their high handed methods and will quietly pay again in the future if they conduct any other works via this very dodgey system. You cannot set the pecedent taht you are walk over.

Finally. You say you aren't close or friendly with your neighbours and this new owner who did the work is going to rent it out....so my question is, why should you care what they think? Like, if you don't consider them friends or people you regularly interact with then who cares? It's only awkward if you care.

I would e-mail back with a photo of the Deed section stating consultation and a vote of majority is needed. Then I would clearly state that since they did not have the common decency to even ask before doing the work and that I question their excessive pricing of the work without quotes or reciepts in evidence I would not be paying for the painting of the door. A door that they painted black which is ugly and a bad omen.

I had a chinese neighbour when I lived in my first flat who had a red door and when the association raised the idea of repainting them he was enraged. Went to the local councillor, threatened to go to the media and cried cultural insensitivity since the red door was a sign of good fortune and painting it any other colour would be inviting bad luck....as a result, guess whose doors all remained red?

I'm not quite getting the Chinese neighbour story. Did all your doors get painted red? Or did he get to keep his?

I took that to mean that all the doors were already read, management wanted to paint them some other colour, Chinese neighbour made a fuss, so all the doors were left red.

so did you pay op?

Ah, I see, thanks.