Is La Torre Community in freefall??

What the hell is going on...!!!

I have just seen the presentation and the notes about the 'secretive' EGM announced and held just before the Xmas break at La Torre.

http://www.ltgr.es/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=1

Seems to me that the Community Committee has just abdicated its responsibility to run the Community and its Services.

Stopping ALL Gardening,Cleaning,Lift Maintenance Service,amongst others ....what a shambles.!  It is now on the ability of your mini-community to be able to pay directly for those Services

At your mini-community (basically your building)  AGM in March you can now vote for the Direct Services you want...BUT...only if your mini-community itself has the money coming in by sufficient Community Fee payers and you can afford them...otherwise you have to choose what you can afford and do without the others.  Community Charge defaulters in your block now have a massive impact on the actual services you will be able to afford. Seems these defaulters will not be 'subsidised' out of the Community funds at large as before, presumably as the debt is now so large.

I hope my neighbours have paid their fees otherwise its a trek through the jungle outside and climbing the stairs in darkness for us!!

I have to say that this sounds crazy...The whole community needs to manage this situation as it only takes a few mini communities to decide to stop landscaping services for example and the place is going to look like a mess. I can't understand how this will work as it is in all our interests for the complex as a whole to look good for rentals or for those who live in La Torre.

I spent a few days at La torre in late November and I must say thoroughly enjoyed my time there.  You know it is understanable that in these times of crises people have to prioritize their spending and these choices will have a knock on effect. Nevertheless Chrissmith is correct from a rental point of view, an investment perspective and from a vacation/living environment it is crucial that the community is maintain to as high a standard as possible.

I just hope this isn;t indicative of things to come.

Like a lot of people on La Torre I have paid my Community fees and as far as I know, until we receive our statement from Admiburgos, I am up to date. I am totally fed up with some people, especially speculators, not paying their fees and being subsidised by the rest of us.  I hope the community begins court action soon to retrieve funds that should have been paid and I see no problem with the mini communities being responsible for their own budget and services.  This is the way it is on other developments, and generally the way it is in spain.  When in Spain etc.

Val

The other huge issue at La Torre is the re-calculation of the Community Fees...the Community and Administrators have revised the calculation process as it was 'discovered' that the previous Administrators (under Polaris) during the 2007/8 budget year had seriously mismanaged the apportionment of accurate costs to the sub-communities on which the calculations are made. This led in the early days to a very low Apartment charge and a very large Townhouse/Villa charge. Disproportionate some say. This was investigated and a 'corrected' method introduced according to the Community and the Administrators. This new calculation used for the current 2008/9 budget has brought the charges a lot closer in that Apartment fees have risen and the Townhouse/Villa fees have reduced. Obviously depending on which camp you sit it is good news or bad news.The fees calculated on the revised process have been the amounts paid to cover last six months, which were taken as 3 x 2 monthly amounts. This will be the fees for the next six months as the budget year at LT is July to June.

The additional problem that is hanging over people heads is that while the revisions to the calculations were being worked out there was an interim payment taken to keep the Community solvent during this process. The whole of the 2007/8 has since been re-calculated based on the new calculations and adjustments will be required depending on whether the interim payment and any other payments in that period covered the re-calculated amount. Basically if you didn't pay enough to cover the revised fee amount then you will get another adjustment bill for the difference. It doesnt matter if you have paid everything you were asked to pay and are up-to-date, if that amount was less than you should have really have been paying according to the re-calculation then you will receive the adjustment bill in January/February...as well as your normal fees bill.

Every owner will be now receiving a statement of all their Community fee payments since completion and the Community fees calculated you should have really paid since completion....together with any adjustment for the differences....presumably a debit or a credit. This has been put in the postboxes and copies sent to your overseas (UK,Ireland etc) addresses.