Getting the neighbour to pay up

[usedbustickets]

We live on a small development shared with two neighbours.  The pool and garden are maintained by a part time gardener/pool man, and we all contribute equally to all the costs, including the annual payment to the P/T gardener/pool man.  This has worked well until recently.

Our Turkish neighbour, who does not live in the house, cleared his house earlier in the year in order to 'help' with the sale of his property.  Unfortunately he now says that as he does not live there - he never has other than for brief holidays - that he will now not pay anything towards any of the the bills, including the pool, electricity and worst of all paying the gardener/poolman.  A really dirty trick on his fellow countryman who can least afford it .  So we have bills going back to the beginning of the year that he needs to pay, and which he steadfastly refuses to pay.

So any advice that you can provide on what our 'rights' are on this issue, or any tactics we could adopt to make him pay (fair or foul!!) would be appreciated, particularly during a period when he is 'vulnerable' as he tries to sell the house.

[Rimms]

Drain the pool and throw some rubbish in it. Tell all prospective buyers that you can't get the other people on the development to pay for its upkeep. This will soon get back to your neighbour via his agents as people either turn it down or put in a silly offer

[Libra]

Is there a written agreement showing how much to pay , how to pay , whom to pay , when to pay etc. ?

Who's name is written on the Bills ?   

[Scunner]

Yes, agree with Rimms - also get some miracle-gro and keep the weeds watered. Not just a great time because he is selling, a great time of year because summer is almost done so outside isn't quite as important to you. Live with a bit of chaos for the time being because if you don't it could go on forever. Legally you can take action but it would not be cheap, and wouldn't be half as much fun. Shopping trolleys are highly recommended for the pool   

[Libra]

But as long as the house is not beeing sold , this uncertain and disturbing situation would continue , wouldn't it ?

[Scunner]

If I was trying to sell a house I don't use, and the garden was looking very shabby, I'd have to consider paying my share...that's the point.

[usedbustickets]

The communal area and pool electricity bill is in the name of the original developer.

There is no formal agreement in place on bills etc.

The suggested theme of making the place look shabby and drive down his price or drive away purchasers has been considered, but not eliminated, but the issues is that we still want the place to look 'nice', and use the pool.  Mind you I did laugh out on the thought of the drained pool with the supermarket trolley  ... a BIMS would be better one assumes than a Kippa

Please keep the suggestions coming.

[Libra]

So if nobody will pay the electric bill , Aydem may cut the electricity. How would this effect your daily life ( assuming pool time will be over soon )  ? If you too would not pay , there may be higher electric bills in the end , but if you do pay all the bills for others , you pay more than you should anyway. If you have time , maybe you should get some information from Aydem as how this would effect you ?

[Scunner]

I am sure the extra costs that Aydem might charge to reconnect after an unpaid bill will be tiny compared with paying a neighbour's third share for communal maintenance.

[mac2010]

its not just Turkish neighbours that dont pay.English ones know all the same tricks as well complex living is a complex one.