What is a common area

Questions about living in properties with shared/common facilities
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Susan
Posts: 5
Joined: 03 Oct 2009 16:03

What is a common area

Post by Susan »

Nigel

Many thanks for your help with the covered areas and communal expenses. Cannot work how to reply so am sending this as a new topic.

The Owners of the ground floor apartment and the 4 attached town houses want to argue that the corridors and stairwells to the first and second floor apartments are not common/communal areas as they do not use them and therefore should not contribute to the upkeep and cleaning of these areas. Furthermore they say they do not own any of these common areas, yet our aportioned areas of ownership is as the complex as a whole and not of just two floors.

An article in the Cyprus weekly some months ago seemed to indicate that all units must pay based on their analogy to the whole of their square metres irrespective of whether they use the floors, lift etc. Can you confirm if this is correct. The articles of the law you posted the other day appear to indicate this is so.

Secondly, they may also try to argue that the ground floor apartments and 4 town houses be treated as a separate block. Again my understanding of the law on this is that this must be agreed by the relevent department (I assume this is Town planning). Again can your clarify.

I really do appreciate your help in this.

Susan
Nigel Howarth
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Re: What is a common area

Post by Nigel Howarth »

Hi Susan,

Firstly, to reply to an existing item, click on one of the 'Post Reply' buttons shown at the top and bottom of the series of messages.

Everyone is required to contribute towards the cost of managing, maintaining, cleaning, repairing the common areas - whether they make use of those common areas or not.

The next thing these people will say is they don't use the swimming pool and they don't want to pay for that either.

And yes, the owners of all units must pay a percentage towards the overall costs based on the size of their unit in relation to others units on the development.

Let me explain

Lets assume that there are 15 units and their total area measures 2,000 square metres and the annual maintenance charge is €4,000.

Someone with a 50 sq.m unit will pay 50/2000 * 4000 = €100
Someone with a 75 sq.m unit will pay 75/2000 * 4000 = €150
Someone with a 120 sq.m unit will pay 120/2000 * 4000 = €240

and so on.

Your developer will know which properties have shared facilities and they will be registered as such at the District Lands Office - but speak to your developer first as he should have all the information you need at his fingertips.

Regards,
Nigel Howarth
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