neighbourhood committee looking for donations....

RoyalMarine · 07-07-2014 01:28PM #1

moved into a house there last week, (renting, not bought).

Received a letter from the neighbourhood community, asking for €25 to maintain the area. I had only moved in the day before it arrived.

Two days later, a guy knocked on the door. He asked why we hadn't sent in our response with a cheque / cash donation.

I told him I just moved in, and I've never heard of collections like this. He told me that everyone in the estate pays each year, and it's taken as an unofficial requirement for living in the area.

Called the landlord and estate agent and they both said it's pretty common.

??? Felt like telling him to fúck off in a very un-polite manner.

Has anyone ever seen this before? I'm not paying €25 to keep the estate clean. I clean my house, keep my garden looking well, wash my car often and I don't let my dogs out to shít on the street.

RossieMan · 07-07-2014 01:31PM

about 7 cent per day over the course of a year.

They should be ashamed of themselves.

solomafioso · 07-07-2014 01:32PM

sh*t in an envelope and give it to them. It's the only reasonable thing to do in this situation.

SEPT 23 1989 · 07-07-2014 01:32PM

Its really protection money they are looking for if you don't play ball things will be made very unpleasant for you

Los Lobos · 07-07-2014 01:33PM

You're starting out well after two days anyway!!

listermint · 07-07-2014 01:34PM

There's one I in Community.

OP you seem sound. Hope you fit in well there and make many new friends.

OR

just like alot of this country youll be one of the ones that doesnt speak to your neighbours and just grunt at them every now and then.

07-07-2014 01:35PM

Is there a large common green area or something? What exactly is it going on?

I Heart Internet · 07-07-2014 01:35PM

RoyalMarine wrote: »

Two days later, a guy knocked on the door. He asked why we hadn't sent in our response with a cheque / cash donation.

I told him I just moved in, and I've never heard of collections like this. He told me that everyone in the estate pays each year, and it's taken as an unofficial requirement for living in the area.

Both these things would worry me. Clearly, there is no such thing as an "unofficial requireent for living in the area." Also, to follow a letter less than a week after sending it with a knock on the door is silly.

We donate to ad-hoc collections for the village "maintenance fund" - they sort out the play-ground, etc and we know who these people are.

I'd suggest you tell him, "Look, we just moved in, we know no-one or nothing about the area. Please call back in a month's time, then we'll know where we're at and will probably contribute like everyone else."

In the meantime you can figure out from neighbours, etc, if they're just chancers. Although €25 sounds fine if there is genuinely a bit of up-keep to be done.

Annasopra · 07-07-2014 01:35PM

Thats very common and 25 Euro is cheap. What are you complaining about?

Nodin · 07-07-2014 01:35PM

RoyalMarine wrote: »

moved into a house there last week, (renting, not bought).

Received a letter from the neighbourhood community, asking for €25 to maintain the area. I had only moved in the day before it arrived.

Two days later, a guy knocked on the door. He asked why we hadn't sent in our response with a cheque / cash donation.

I told him I just moved in, and I've never heard of collections like this. He told me that everyone in the estate pays each year, and it's taken as an unofficial requirement for living in the area.

Called the landlord and estate agent and they both said it's pretty common.

??? Felt like telling him to fúck off in a very un-polite manner.

Has anyone ever seen this before? I'm not paying €25 to keep the estate clean. I clean my house, keep my garden looking well, wash my car often and I don't let my dogs out to shít on the street.

25 Euro a year to keep an estate clean, where you could be locked into management fees of thousands that end up being the source of politicking, misuse and general cack.

Nodin · 07-07-2014 01:36PM

Los Lobos wrote: »

You're starting out well after two days anyway!!

It's civic mindedness like that which made our state the haven it is today.

RoyalMarine · 07-07-2014 01:40PM

There's a large green area directly across the road from the house. The county council clean it as from what I've found out, the group that built the estate jumped ship a few years ago and abandoned their contractual duties to maintain the estate for what ever time they have to.

I don't deny that it's cheap, however I earn a low wage, my gf earns a low wage, my outgoings are high due to college, I have a 10 year old son and I have bills.

I would be lucky to have €25 euro in my wallet at the end of a week. I would rather save it or bring my son somewhere on the weekend than hand it over to a community who seem very rude in asking for money.

I Heart Internet · 07-07-2014 01:42PM

RoyalMarine wrote: »

I would be lucky to have €25 euro in my wallet at the end of a week. I would rather save it or bring my son somewhere on the weekend than hand it over to a community who seem very rude in asking for money.

But it might mean that your son gets to play in a nice clean estate for 52 weeks a year.

Morag · 07-07-2014 01:43PM

If you are unsure then ask who their contact with the local county council is.
There are estate management committees in most areas, they work with the county council, it is set up by residents and the money goes towards painting walls, cutting grass verges, equipment for collecting litter and plants. It is pretty common and giving a hand with their voluntary work around the estate in the evening and weekends is a good way to get to know your new neighbors.
If 25 quid is something you can't stretch to having just moved in say that.

ianobrien · 07-07-2014 01:45PM

OP, if you're renting it's the landlord that should be paying. I've paid it in the past as a landlord (or specifically as his gardener and the neighbour/committee member spotted me and approached)

The next time he calls give him the landlords contact details. Also, ask the landlord if you pay it can you deduct it from the rent.

(That being said I'm not paying it in my own place until I get an apology from the "collector" after the abuse he threw at a family member a few years ago. I have said that to the people who have subsequently called, and the neighbours also)

folan · 07-07-2014 01:45PM

RoyalMarine wrote: »

I don't let my dogs out to shít on the street.

glad to know that dogs ****ting on the street is only 25 quid in your estate. in my estate, theres a sign saying its like 300 quid or something.

Nodin · 07-07-2014 01:46PM

RoyalMarine wrote: »

There's a large green area directly across the road from the house. The county council clean it as from what I've found out, the group that built the estate jumped ship a few years ago and abandoned their contractual duties to maintain the estate for what ever time they have to.

I don't deny that it's cheap, however I earn a low wage, my gf earns a low wage, my outgoings are high due to college, I have a 10 year old son and I have bills.

I would be lucky to have €25 euro in my wallet at the end of a week. I would rather save it or bring my son somewhere on the weekend than hand it over to a community who seem very rude in asking for money.

You said it was a yearly fee.

07-07-2014 01:47PM

If the council clean it then I'd be asking for some specifics what they plan to do with all this money.
If you can't afford it and have just moved in then say so and yeah it probably is up to the landlord too

I Heart Internet · 07-07-2014 01:49PM

ianobrien wrote: »

OP, if you're renting it's the landlord that should be paying. I've paid it in the past as a landlord (or specifically as his gardener and the neighbour/committee member spotted me and approached)

I'm not sure it's as clear cut as that.

We rent, but we give a donation to the local village maintenance committee when it's asked. We live there and get the benefit from it.

We'll also be paying the water charges (and other utilities).

We don't pay the property tax though.

AnonoBoy · 07-07-2014 01:50PM

I wish they did that in my area. The place is manky with litter.

mikemac1 · 07-07-2014 01:50PM

Your landlord should be dealing with this. Just forward on the details next time this guy calls

RoyalMarine · 07-07-2014 01:52PM

Nodin wrote: »

You said it was a yearly fee.

it is a yearly fee. I said I would be lucky to have €25 euro MYSELF at the end of the week. I can't afford to be handing over ANY money to them for this reason.

I understand the need to keep the estate clean, and I would be more than happy to lend a hand by cleaning, painting or grass cutting for a few hours here and there, but I can't afford to give any money to them for this.

Just to add, I did volunteer my time, but I was quickly told that they have enough volunteers and all they need is money from the rest.

thomas anderson. · 07-07-2014 01:56PM

Same thing happened to me a few months ago. 2 women called to the door looking for €50 for grass cutting. Told them that we just moved in and would contact the landlord.

I asked before signing the lease if there were any management fees. LL said no. LL ended up paying.

adocholiday · 07-07-2014 01:56PM

I had a similar situation in a housing estate where I was renting before. This was a few years ago. I was there almost a year at that time and aside from a few polite greetings to the woman next door I had never spoken to any of the other neighbours. Not out of ignorance mind, just never really had contact with any of them. Anyway I get a call to the door one evening and there were 3 of the neighbours including the woman next door and they were looking for a €50 donation to the neighbourhood maintenance fund or whatever it was called. To be completely honest I was really really struggling financially at the time and simply didn't have it (but I probably wouldn't have paid it anyway) and I refused. They were not at all happy and, like with the OP, tried to force me to pay it. I told them why I couldn't but they obviously thought I was making it up.

For the next few weeks it was like living in the twilight zone! There were rubbish bags being left in the garden, complaints made to the landlord about loud parties and rats living in our garden, and the gardaí were called to investigate 'suspicious behaviour' at the house one morning at 8am! All of which were complete lies. Anyway I figured out that it had to be a result of this 'donation'. I got onto the landlord and explained the situation and he told me that they had had issues before. He said he normally paid the money himself and never bothered the tenants with it but they were obviously chancing their arm trying to get me to pay up too! He told me he would resolve it and the crap I was having all stopped after that.

These things can be very contentious OP especially in an area with a close community. It's almost unbelievable until it happens to you. I was very young and naive at the time and no way would i put up with it now, but it was very stressful and really not worth the hassle I had to endure

Mal-Adjusted · 07-07-2014 01:57PM

a residents association/committee in estates that do a general bit of upkeep is common enough. while not all are paid into and many only look for the odd afternoon, €25 doesn't sound too bad. you were right though to make sure yer man was on the level.

however...

Sending a letter the day after you move in looking for money is showing extreme cheek. You haven't even met any of your new neighbors yet and the very first thing is them looking for money.

Then to come back only two days later asking why you haven't paid up? I'd honestly tell him to f*^k off*. Some lad out with the begging bowl before you've even settled in? It's probably just one lad who takes his position on the committee stupidly seriously and is in need of a good verbal kick in the arse. OP, a R.A. is a great way to meet your new neighbors, but you are under zero obligation to join up.

*(well i probably wouldn't, but i'd like to)

KERSPLAT! · 07-07-2014 01:57PM

We pay €40 a year, paid in 4 quarterly installments. It's used for the upkeep of green areas, grass cutting, flowers etc. I think there's a fun day held every year with bouncy castles, BBQ, etc, they also get a few skips a year that everyone can fire stuff into. I'm sure there's more like signs, painting and other maintenance. Seems alright to me and we don't mind paying once we see it being used properly

Suucee · 07-07-2014 01:58PM

This is done in my estate. Its €20 for the year. It goes towards maintaining the lawnmowers that are used by residents to cut the green etc. Alot of residents meet once a week to maintain verges, flowers and trees in the estate. I rent and have no problem paying it. Im here 5 yrs wasnt asked the first year to pay as we were new. Only paid €10 the second year as were still regarded as new but pay 20 since. I can see op's point in that they had only just moved in. And no idea what or where the money actually goes. My brother was asked for 150 in his estate (which is smaller).

_Redzer_ · 07-07-2014 01:58PM

I'm pretty sure I've seen this episode of friends before

Lucifer MorningStar · 07-07-2014 02:00PM

I Heart Internet · 07-07-2014 02:00PM

adocholiday wrote: »

These things can be very contentious OP especially in an area with a close community. It's almost unbelievable until it happens to you. I was very young and naive at the time and no way would i put up with it now, but it was very stressful and really not worth the hassle I had to endure

Sounds criminal tbh.

RoyalMarine · 07-07-2014 02:00PM

_Redzer_ wrote: »

I'm pretty sure I've seen this episode of friends before

yes yes, but my name's not Ross and I don't live in 3B.

neighbourhood committee looking for donations....

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