truthseeker
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Good idea.
I do think that some people see not paying as a way of alerting the politicians that they are not happy, in a stronger form than just sending a letter. I could be wrong.
......in the mean time we should be writing a list of all the things that are wrong with the running of the country, and sending it to the politicians.
Good idea.
I do think that some people see not paying as a way of alerting the politicians that they are not happy, in a stronger form than just sending a letter. I could be wrong.
Good idea.
I do think that some people see not paying as a way of alerting the politicians that they are not happy, in a stronger form than just sending a letter. I could be wrong.
No, the politicans (the ones we elected on the basis of their campaigns-part of which I am sure included not introducing a property tax!!) only understand money- letters and email are water off a ducks back.
As one of the "coping class" , I cannot and will not give any more-coz right now we are barely getting by!!
Since I moved abroad I had to rethink my whole attitude. Before I left it was a culture of not paying for anything, bins, rubbish being left illegally, water being wasted, dodging stamp duty, CGT and all that sort of stuff. And then you learn to like things being ordered, that the charges are high but you get proper services. Recently there was a water leak on a bank holiday and the guys here were out on the eve of it at 11 to cut of the water and a leaflet for all the street and they came at 8 next morning of the bank holiday and I remember thinking thank goodness I live here now as if I was at home it would have been the Monday before there was any water and it would have been left to flow down the street for the weekend. I like having a local library which my kids use, fantastic swimming pools and for half nothing, great roads. The council replanted the all the trees on my street last year, they look after everything like that. It's my obligation to see that if there is ice no pedestrian falls etc. But people here can't abide waste. You wouldn't dream of not picking up litter around your own house etc. And there is shocking waste in Ireland.
Truthseeker I do not envy you with your financial troubles. Hopefully with your other half getting a job things will work out. You both didn't think of going to the UK and going bankrupt when you'd both lost your job. You've mentioned children a few times (if I recall a good while back you had a very touching post). Don't let the small apartment hold you back. You will regret it forever.
Since I moved abroad I had to rethink my whole attitude. Before I left it was a culture of not paying for anything, bins, rubbish being left illegally, water being wasted, dodging stamp duty, CGT and all that sort of stuff. And then you learn to like things being ordered, that the charges are high but you get proper services. Recently there was a water leak on a bank holiday and the guys here were out on the eve of it at 11 to cut of the water and a leaflet for all the street and they came at 8 next morning of the bank holiday and I remember thinking thank goodness I live here now as if I was at home it would have been the Monday before there was any water and it would have been left to flow down the street for the weekend. I like having a local library which my kids use, fantastic swimming pools and for half nothing, great roads. The council replanted the all the trees on my street last year, they look after everything like that. It's my obligation to see that if there is ice no pedestrian falls etc. But people here can't abide waste. You wouldn't dream of not picking up litter around your own house etc. And there is shocking waste in Ireland.
Maybe on AAM we could debate item by item what is wrong, starting with the local councils and suggesting improvements and really a name and shame policy and enforcement for those who can but won't pay.
No, the politicans (the ones we elected on the basis of their campaigns-part of which I am sure included not introducing a property tax!!) only understand money- letters and email are water off a ducks back.
My guess is that the very same people who are objecting to this charge will be out protesting that their county no longer has its own local authority due to be merged with a couple of others nearby with consequential job losses and reduction in services.
I disagree. Not paying this charge will have absolutely no impact on any individual politicians save that the Minister for the Environment may get the boot. The only currency politicians understand is votes. If you disagree with the charge, vote for someone else next time.
I think the most likely impact of a low payment rate is that central Government will interpret it as dissatisfaction with local government rather than themselves. Due to this dissatisfaction, and lack of funds, they'll start closing down/merging local authorities and associated organisations. My guess is that the very same people who are objecting to this charge will be out protesting that their county no longer has its own local authority due to be merged with a couple of others nearby with consequential job losses and reduction in services.
I don't get this part. Under the Croke Park Agreement there is no involuntary redundancies in the public service....so why should services suffer?
I didn't vote for this crowd the first time around!!
Merging of LA is something that should have been done prior to this, as they are the biggest waste of money! It is crazy how much money they waste, on a daily basis!
If they are forced to merge some of many many LA we have, we may get a more efficent entity!
I know what point your trying to score here but it won't stand up as I will go on to clarify.Serotoninsid, what do you think of the 50% of people in your estate who don't pay for the grass cutting? I'd really like an honest answer to that.
Please run a check on my previous posts. I have accessed the collective pool of knowledge on AAM in relation to various aspects of getting an estate taken in charge.In relation to your problem with the council. I think you should start a thread on that and see if it can be sorted rather than complaining about it and getting nowhere. We had threads on here before and people did manage to get it sorted out, but it took a lot of work and stress and hassle.
I think I have articulated it quite clearly if you read the posts that i've written. However, let me clarify it for you further. A council that has acted competently would be holding either a bond to be used by them in the event that the estate isn't completed - or an insurance policy against this outcome. They may well have a bond but they refuse to answer my question on this - that's not incompetence, that's not negligence - it's pure and utter failure as a service provider at the most fundamentally basic of levels. Now...on that basis, you think I should pay a service charge to a council that won't even oblige at such a fundamentally basic level?It is very unclear to me what exactly is the issue. Your estate has not been finished properly by the builder, and the council may or may not have a bond to finish it, and they won't tell you if they do or don't have a bond. Is that it?
To those very same people - stand your ground! If things have to get worse before we fix them, then so be it. Again, monagt's turn of phrase is so apt - it's (paying this charge) like offering a free bar to an alcoholic!To anyone else who can pay and won't. Do you not realise that someone is going to have to sit down and say what can we not afford. They are actually going to have to make decisions on whether to close swimming pools or liabries or to buy enough salt in the winter. These hard decisions are on the horizon.
No, you don't! This money is going in part towards a banking bailout - as they have reallocated local authority funding away from LA's to fill the banking fiscal hole! Again, I draw peoples attention to the fact that this administration was elected on the back of a clear policy to renegotiate - and a mandate from the people to renegotiate. The moment they took power, they blatantly disregarded the peoples wishes on this. Democracy irish style...If people are going to protest, and I think they should, then do it on the treaty changes. Then object to bank bailouts
I've already demonstrated one clear example (that one example affecting countless thousands of home owners) of service providers (county councils) that are in need of total reform. Otherwise, we give them our hard earned cash and they will pee it up against a wall.To lack of reform
Hi Bronte. We are further on than many other developments around us - and have come together as a group, formed a residents association and have got on with things ourselves. However, there are a couple of items that are simply beyond what we can achieve. Added to this is the fact that as this is an optional thing for people, only 50% of folks contribute. This is inherently wrong. However, it can be legislated for.Give up on the council and finish the estate by everyone in the estate coming together, finding out the costs of finishing the estate and each house paying their share. He even mentioned that it was the best money they ever spent.
No - sorry - and this is key. If there is no bond, then we are talking about gross negligence.If there is no bond
Again - this is fundamental in the overall context of why NOT to pay this service charge. They currently have the overhead of staff in place right now anyways. It is not going to cost them any extra to simply answer our questions rather than palm us off, is it? On that basis alone, how could there be an expectation of the general public in paying a service charge when the alleged service provider fails at such a basic and fundamental level?If there is no willingness by the council to engage
The developer paid them a bond (most likely - and if he didn't then its gross negligence on the part of the council as outlined above). This bond should be held for the very purpose of bringing about completion of the estate. If they have blown it, that is not acceptable.if they don't have any money (most likely, and I wonder why)
Still filing accounts. And so that means that the enforcement notice that was issued was never followed up on and enforced!and if the builder is bust (most likely) and if not bust and forced to act he will go bust anyway
Yes, and it would help enormously if there can be legislative change to place an obligation on property owners within an estate to contribute towards estate maintenance fees. This is not something that will cost anything to enact - but something that has implications for developments all over the country.You and your neighbours need to do something to sort it out.
I have a sibling who purchased one of those lovely new builds in Dublin. Naturally management fees were paid at the beginning by the builder until last house was sold. Then low and behold whopping bill, sibling in shock, (I didn't sign up for this etc etc) did not pay and 3 years later complained to me that the services were bad in her estate and when told by me that what do you expect if everyone is like you and doesn't pay, well sibling did not want to hear etc etc. And now as each year goes by estate, along with plenty of others I've witnessed throughout the country are deteriorating and losing even more value than others. And that's exactly what will happen to your estate unless you do something about it.
We have done exactly that. Local representative has been contacted on a number of occasions. We have met with him and made our position clear. We have - as an estate - handed in letters from all home owners - declaring that we will not pay any household charge until such time as the estate is taken in charge by the council.Bronte said:And if you want reform of how the council works then complain to your TD and don't vote for him next election unless changes are made, but make sure he knows that. And get a campaign going in your estate to that TD. It works, in an estate where I lived the residents managed to get traffic lights, and bumps in the road etc it took a couple of years but they got there.
We have - as an estate - handed in letters from all home owners - declaring that we will not pay any household charge until such time as the estate is taken in charge by the council.
On another positive note, from my Greek friends who I was discussing this with, as you do. Apparently services have actually improved there, because.... the civil servants are being more productive as they are afraid of losing their jobs. But trust me we don't want to go anywhere near the pain the Greeks have.
If you compare with UK for instance, most taxes come form London, yet all the country is looked after by government.
In Ireland its seems to be only dublin, especially the south that gets services.
Ireland is a very unfair country.