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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:
Heythere13 · 13/04/2022 08:38

My service agreement contains lots of conditions including

Entire building repainted every 12 years for example

Given they have just purchased and so would have gone through any property agreement with a fine tooth comb, is it possible that there was a condition relating to repainting front door and they observed this had not been complied with?

Guineapigssweak · 13/04/2022 08:39

I could have painted the door for £20! They are making money out of you.

DameHelena · 13/04/2022 08:40

@Heythere13

My service agreement contains lots of conditions including

Entire building repainted every 12 years for example

Given they have just purchased and so would have gone through any property agreement with a fine tooth comb, is it possible that there was a condition relating to repainting front door and they observed this had not been complied with?

Doesn't matter if there was. Everyone in the building needs to be consulted on anything that impacts/potentially costs them all.
Snorkelface · 13/04/2022 08:41

Do not pay anything and do not respond until you know what agreements are in place for your property (which will also be all the other flats too). Also do not give in if any other flat owners say they've paid, they will be in the wrong. No single flat owner can decide to carry out works at others expense. Are you leasehold or share of freehold (which still means you still have a lease but have a share of the freehold company making the decisions too) What does your lease say? Do you have an RTM, so you all collectively self-manage (collectively being the key word there, not one person making decisions and charging people for it later). When you know what the actual arrangements are you forward them on to the flat owner who painted the door and firmly decline to pay. A communal door belongs to the freeholder (or the freehold company you may have a share in if you have a shared freeholder), not any individual flat owner. They have effectively painted someone else's property and are now trying to charge you for it. Don't set a precedent by giving in and be firm and accurate when you do respond.

Chestofdraws · 13/04/2022 08:42

@Guineapigssweak

I could have painted the door for £20! They are making money out of you.
Really? You’d drive there, clean two doors properly , sand them both down, clean again, and then paint them with good quality exterior paint, likely with at least two coats, for twenty quid?

Wow. I’d not. 😂

FloraPostePosts · 13/04/2022 08:47

[quote eggfairy1]@LoudingVoice you're right we do need an agreement

Although really in these old flat buildings the only thing we have to worry about is the roof and other leaks. The hallway is small and although shabby it's fine. We each contribute for a stair cleaner anyway which i'm happy to do.[/quote]
OP, ignoring for a moment the issue of the door, you really need to bottom out what the arrangements are for the maintenance of the building. If the roof needs work, you will be liable for possibly tens of thousands of pounds - scaffolding costs alone could be that much. Even maintenance like painting windows on multiple levels will also carry significant costs. Cleaning the hallway is nothing in comparison, and I worry that if you can’t find £25 for paint, you will end up with a big shock if you suddenly have to make a big contribution.

Get out your lease, contact the freeholder, make sure you know what insurance is held for the building and who is expected to contribute to what. If you have difficulty working it out, then CAB might be able to help you.

PearlclutchersInc · 13/04/2022 08:48

Err, no. They wanted it done, their choice and no consultation.

They're trying it on so don't make a rod for your own back.

SpottyPantsNextDoor · 13/04/2022 08:48

Nope, I wouldn’t pay. They should have consulted the other residents first, especially on colour. And £200 is a ridiculous amount.

They aren’t even going to be living there so no need to get along with them. If you pay this now, what else are they going to be billing you for in the future?

IAMGE · 13/04/2022 08:56

@NoSquirrels

Email back and say that’s not how communal improvements or maintenance works. Point them to however it does work in your block.

I certainly wouldn’t be paying them £25, cheeky fecks. Nice earner if you can get it, £200 for a coat of paint!

This draft an email as above and ask them to put it back to the colour it was immediately as you find the black depressing and they can’t make changes without consultation. It’s actually criminal damage whether or not it looks nicer is irrelevant.
Snorkelface · 13/04/2022 08:57

If any problems still persist with this situation (or any crop up in the future) you can always contact the free advisory service for leaseholders, been running for years, very helpful.

www.lease-advice.org/

If you have a share of the freehold you still have a lease and are a leaseholder, you just have a share of the freehold company too.

DanaCScully · 13/04/2022 09:01

So cheeky, as it’s a rental they are probably going to claim the whole £200 as maintenance against the flat for tax purposes as well! Be wary.

TheseDaysGoBy · 13/04/2022 09:03

You absolutely aren't being unreasonable. I would politely refuse to pay with the reason that you weren't notified prior to it being painted and suggest that they give you plenty of notice next time. They can't just do it out of the blue and then expect you to cough up! Besides, £25 per neighbour is a bit steep?!

Beautiful3 · 13/04/2022 09:06

If you pay it, then it sets a precedent . He will always do unauthorised work then ask for.money afterwards. You can ignore it and if he asks again say, "all work has to be authorised and approved by all flat owners, before any work is carried out."

RomansTheyGoTheHouse · 13/04/2022 09:06

I wouldn't pay. An email back explaining that I had a personal principle of not paying for services/work unless I had agreed to do so beforehand meant I would not be paying for this. If they want to arrange any further work the expect me to contribute towards they should speak to be before going ahead with it.

Heythere13 · 13/04/2022 09:08

* I also don't really know the other neighbours but the one I do know is very very overbearing and will probably support the charge*

Unlikely someone like this would happily suck up a cost without being consulted

WhateverHappenedToMe · 13/04/2022 09:12

Are the flats leasehold? Did they obtain the lessor's permission before painting the door?

ServantofthePeople · 13/04/2022 09:17

OP, as two others have said, you need to consult lease-advice.org.

I predict overbearing neighbour, if not consulted in advance, will be cross with new neighbour. Let overbearing neighbour fight the battle on this one.

Gather information via lease-advice but stay out of this for the sake of your health (I speak as one who knows).

AnchorWHAT · 13/04/2022 09:18

@WhatsTheEffingPoint

I would be pissed off my personal email had been passed on...data protection and all that! If they wanted to contact you they could have knocked the door or put a note in your postbox. £200 with no proof of an invoice or quotes that's pricey.
This, and as you don't know who the e mail address is did it not just go into your spam box op therefore you didn't see it and so no response needed 😉
Netty909 · 13/04/2022 09:29

As others have said, check your lease. Mine says doors must be painted every 7 years and must be blue. No one just gets to decide to do it without quotes and changing the colour. On a separate note, if you just came home to it, it does seem quick for 2 doors to be sanded, undercoat and leave it to dry enough, and then painted black, if done professionally. I don't think £200 is that much, is it a friend or family member perhaps? If not done properly it will be flaking off soon anyway. Not only that they would have had to leave the doors to the building open to dry. You should have had a warning about that too, as it's a security risk.

Use this opportunity to put some agreement in place with the flat owners. Also do you all have to agree if someone rents their flat out? Most have to get permission from the Freeholder.

StripeyDeckchair · 13/04/2022 09:29

Dear neighbour
All 8 flats are equal regarding maintenance.
All maintenance must be agreed by all parties in advance of the work being undertaken after having received and reviewed a minimum of 3 quotes for the work.

As you have not followed this procedure and I consider the work to be of poor quality I will not bee making any payment

Regards

I would send a copy to all flats so that they can respond similarly.
Be quick so no-one pays the CF

nearlyspringyay · 13/04/2022 09:30

I'd be very worried you have no sinking fund in place, what if the roof needs to be replaced for example?

AxolotlEars · 13/04/2022 09:31

Cheeky to ask in retrospect

burnoutbabe · 13/04/2022 09:31

Doesn't matter if there was. Everyone in the building needs to be consulted on anything that impacts/potentially costs them all.

not strictly true, our 28 flats all own a share of the freehold and we appointed a management company to manage the day to day side of the maintanence, we have 2 directors from the flat owners to agree to most maintenance.

Items costing over (i think) £200 per flat do need letters to us all to lay out the costs/ask people to suggest alternative suppliers.

This sounds like it could be Scotland though? as they do leases differently there. Though i do know a few masonettes in England that are 2 flats and both have a share of freehold so organise stuff informally (but even then there is a clear lease and its clear the Freeholder should get building insurance)

SoupDragon · 13/04/2022 09:33

@endofthelinefinally

This has flagged up a potential minefield. All residents need to get their paperwork out and check their lease/ buildings insurance etc. Do it now and make sure you all have adequate protection in place in the event of a fire or flood or other problem.
I agree. You need to know what the set up for paying for maintenance is.

Although really in these old flat buildings the only thing we have to worry about is the roof and other leaks.

These can be huge expenses - dismissing them as "only" is not good! There is also damp and repairing general wear and tear.

Sswhinesthebest · 13/04/2022 09:33

@MRex

"You have changed a communal area without agreement from others who own it too. Please immediately return the doors to their original colour of blue at your own expense. Next time obtain agreement from other flats to activity and cost before doing any work. Thank you."
This.