Advice Please

[elaina]

I am an avid reader of this forum and I only wish I had found it earlier.  I don't post very often becuase of the problems I have in Turkey which I am sorry to say are ongoing.  I "have" an apartment in Uzumlu - I can't say I own it because I have no Tapu and the decision on that is with the Court (has been for over 6 years now - I am sorry to say).  I have always tried to do what is right and by the book so to speak.  So although I do not legally speaking "own"  the apartment I pay the insurances for building and contents, I pay my electricity and complex maintnenance for use of pool, gardens, etc. I have also paid out for minor maintenance jobs - leaking roof repairs, bit of internal making good and painting and painting of exterior woodwork and balustrades, also I paid out my share to have the garden re-landscaped, etc. The complex consists of 8 apartments, two of which remain unsold and are still owned by the directors of the estate agents who built them (and who still have my Tapu).   No maintenance is received for these 2 apartments and I am now being asked to stump up an extra 20TL per month to help to cover the shortfall because of increased costs.  Other residents in the complex have also decided that the complex needs a re-paint and I am being asked for another 1500TL for my apartment plus 600TL for my share (ie. one sixth!!!) of the communal area repaint.  The question I ask is should I pay this money because I don't think I should.  What do other forum members think?  Any advice would be gratefully received.

[Scunner]

Sounds like you are paying for the lot - or a large proportion of it. Ask to see the quotes and get Engin or one of the others recommended on here to supply a couple more. Or tell them you don't own an apartment so shouldn't have to pay  

[elaina]

Thank you Scunner.

[Scunner]

Is the 1500TL for your apartment externally only? I've had villas done for that, two floors, roof terrace and ironwork. A few years back now but I can't imagine a single apartment external could possibly be 1500 - I'll come over and do it for that!!!

[elaina]

Yes.  It is 1500tl for each of the 4 upstairs apartments and 1400TL for each downstairs  apartment and there are 4 of them.  Although I can't see the two non-maintenance payers stumping up for painting. The communal areas -stairwells, etc are a further 600TL per apartment - I assume this to be between the 6 of us who pay their maintenance.  I must admit I did think the cost for this to be a bit excessive - just hope it includes the cost of the paint. It does not seem right to expect someone who is not an owner to pay this cost because the Court could decide not to give me the Tapu - who knows.

[mac2010]

Sorry to hear of your troubles and I hope you manage to get your tapu one day.As for the painting quote it does seem extremly high.We have just had our complex painted to a very high standard using the best paint available here and it never cost anything like the price you are being asked to pay.Just to be clear no one can force you to pay anything towards the complex if you have genuine reasons not to  and can prove it.

[littlereddevil]

When we bought our apartment we were told we didn't have to pay maintenance fees until we got our Tapu.

[Liz 101]

Likewise, I feel the cost of painting to be excessive. Winter 2010, we had our complex painted @ 425tl per apartment, including the best available paint, & including all original ironwork (security grills extra). Painting of internal communal staircases, 500tl per block.

[stoop]

Don't pay! If you must then use it as leverage to get your Tapu first. 'I'll gladly pay if you let me get a couple of quotes for the work and then ONLY AFTER you supply my Tapu.'

Good luck.

[Libra]

I hope you are formally informed about all these payment requests. Written , not verbal and signed by a person who is really and legally responsible and you get your receipts at the moment of payment with detailed explanations. Might be usefull one day.