Council maintaining estates - help please

Sinderella

Hi, not sure if this is the right board but
Can anyone tell me if there is a law relating to councils maintaining estates? Cutting grass, trees, cleaning etc?

I've been contributing towards all of the above with cash to the residents association for years. That was before the estate was taken by the council. Now they still want the same annual subscription as they tell me the council only contribute a small amount for maintaining the estates.
So

1) Can the RA not request a refund for the previous years that we had to pay for our own gardeners etc? I understood they could
2) Can the RA not request that the council maintain the common areas rather than the RA hiring private people anyway?

I find it rediculous after paying €20,000 in stamp duty that I'm still expected to pay to maintain the feckin estate!

Can anyone enlighten me please?

dilallio

Have you spoken to your local councillor about this?

These people are dependent on your votes to get elected, and it is not in their interest to have your residents association billed for something that they shouldn't be billed.

slimjimmc

Around these parts the Council will only mow common areas perhaps 2-3 times a year, we pay a private contractor to mow it about 6-7 times, looks better and kids don't get lost in the grass. You can get grants from the Council to assist with maintenance costs, I think it's roughly equivalent to whatever it would cost the council if they maintained it. Also, if residents maintain an area themselves it strengthens any objection they may have should the council attempt to redesignate the open area for other uses (has been tried before).

Oscar K

legislation specifically states that the council are not responsible for maintaining green areas even if the roads and services are taken in charge by the council.

TheDriver

what annoys me is that the greens in council estates themselves are always maintained brilliantly........

dudara

Moved to Accomodation & Property

dudara

Sinderella

Oscar K wrote: »

legislation specifically states that the council are not responsible for maintaining green areas even if the roads and services are taken in charge by the council.

Hi, what legislation please? I want to actually have a read of the legals.

Tigger

TheDriver wrote: »

what annoys me is that the greens in council estates themselves are always maintained brilliantly........

why?

chucken1

TheDriver wrote: »

what annoys me is that the greens in council estates themselves are always maintained brilliantly........

I live in a council estate and we spent 2 years collecting money through the residents association. Then we bought what we needed to keep the place tidy! Everyone takes a little job..including the children,and we keep the grass cut etc.It built a great sense of community and keeps the children busy as they are very proud of their own work.
So maybe instead of waiting for someone else to do it..get together..get to know your neighbours and start building communities again!

Le_Dieux

Hi Sinderella

I am a member of our local RA. Are You sure You were paying Your RA prior to being taken over by the CC? Our Estate was run by a management company a few years ago. These thieves tried to up the subs by 53% from year 1 to year 2. After 'negotiation' we had the increase dropped to 29%, this when the inflation rate was somewhere around 3%.

Luckily for us, the CC decided to take over the Estate and that meant the MC were OUT. Thats why I am asking if You are certain about who You were paying prior to the CC taking over?

We subscribe €80/household per annum (totally voluntary) to the upkeep of the Estate. We are aware that the CC won't cut the grass as often as we desired, hence the RA maintaining the Estate. In fairness to the CC, our local Councillor has arranged for the CC to send the sweeper into the Estate anytime we have asked.

Sinderella

Hi Le_Dieux. Yes, it's just a RA, run by neighbours, no management involved.

Can't believe I can't find anything regarding what's legal here. Joke State!

Lantus

You'll be waiting a long time for the council to cut the grass.

These days there is a management company structure with imposed service charges in most estates which includes for grass cutting. There are some estates that don't have (or legally need) a management company because they were built before greedy planners learnt that if you put a few apartments in somewhere (mixed development.) then everyone has to have a clause in the mortgage deeds saying they will pay x a year for ever to cover common areas, lifts and grass cutting, insurance etc.

Personally I believe that if someone walks into an estate and trips and hurts themselves then it's either an accident or they are stupid. France exists perfectly well without giving insurance companies thousands just in case some angry person tries to sue us all.

So basically you have a hard working RA that is doing all these things unpaid and often getting grief off all the residents. Your very lucky you dont have a management company either way.

Victor

TheDriver wrote: »

what annoys me is that the greens in council estates themselves are always maintained brilliantly........

By a separate department.

Victor

Le_Dieux wrote: »

I am a member of our local RA. Are You sure You were paying Your RA prior to being taken over by the CC? Our Estate was run by a management company a few years ago. These thieves tried to up the subs by 53% from year 1 to year 2.

Thats a matter of it not being charged properly in the first year.