How to allocate arrears proceeds?

josip

Our apartment block has had an owner who did not pay the annual maintenance fee for a number of years who is now probably going to sell and settle what they owe. Other owners have been effectively subsidising them for approx 8-9 years and the amount due back would be approx 800 euro per owner over that period. What is the correct/best way to distribute the proceeds? Options would appear to be:

1. Reduce the annual service charge over the next number of years by a few hundred each year. Disadvantages of this is that if a current subsidising owner sells up in that time, they won't benefit.

2. Give each owner they amount they effectively subsidised while they were owners. Where previous owners can be contacted, they should also be compensated accordingly. If previous owners can't be contacted, the balance goes into the Management Company's account

3. Divide the proceeds evenly among all apartment owners irrespective of how long they own the apartment. The basis for doing it this way is that when the apartment is being bought or sold the amount effectively "owed" to each apartment owner is an additional asset included in the sale.

I'd be interested in your thoughts.