Playsatan

iTrader: (2)

I get the whole factors fees thing if you live in a flat and have communal area's that need to be maintained, that seems fair enough, but does anyone else have to pay fee's for their house?

We moved into a new development 4 years ago and the sales assistant said there would be a small fee to maintain the kiddies play area and to mow everyone's front lawns. The reason they gave for this was it would stop lazy neighbours ruining the look of the estate. For less than a tenner a month it didn't seem like a big deal.

Four years later and I'm paying well over £400 a year to gave my grass cut every other month, which takes 2 minutes BTW. Due to the layout my neighbour doesn't even have a front lawn and he's got to pay as well. The bills are never the same twice, there's no accountability and their prices are beyond a joke (£3000 to replace a bench in the park).

Where would I stand if I just stopped paying? I don't remember signing anything directly with this company but I guess there may be something in the small print with the builders.

Anyone else had similar issues?

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

Yes, my mates have to pay and they live in a house. We have to pay because we live in a flat but the charges are a laugh. I posted on here before about the possibility of suing them for lack of work.

Their contractor list must read like a who's who of rogue traders and it sounds like yours is just as bad.

unfortunately they is no official body (government decided not to set up a regulator) so come back is minmal and non payment could get you a court summons.

Personally i didn't pay thei fees for the last invoice because i argued that they were not doing the job they wanted to be paid for. They are employed to look after your house etc and by not getting you best prices they are doing nothing to get their cash.

I'll keep not paying them and if they want to take me to court i'll argue exactly that point. I'm not paying for a job poorly done or not done at all.

I believe the only way to sack them is to set up a residents association and do it yourselves. Due to complete indifference though you'll find that a nightmare.

5t.

sti-04!!

Ask the factors to see a breakdown of costs attributed to your estate. Break it down per household & then see if you have an arguement. 90% of the time most estates / households do.

Advise the factor that you will be looking at setting up a neighbourhood committee & when the factors contract runs out you will be looking to appoint a new factor / look after the grounds yourself.

exvaux

iTrader: (1)

i looked at this a few years ago when they built a new scheme at the end of my street,im a qualified greenkeeper was looking at setting up myself doing gardens and maintainance work but couldnt get anyone to give me the time of day,councils and building contractors etc seem to have their own "preffered" contractors.

sti-04!!

You have to invest in some brown envelopes

exvaux

iTrader: (1)

funnily enough i was told i could get on their list,if i knew what he meant...hard enough establishing contacts without having to pay them for the privelidge anyways now i just do local gardens and a few bowling greens in my spare time.