Rogue Freeholder

n.gossage

My wife and I bought bought a flat in a building in 2002 with 2 other freeholders. There is a residents association with a legally drawn up constitution. One freeholder is difficult, aggressive, deranged even, and has 'left' the association breaking numerous parts of the written agreement -allowing outside doors to be left unlocked, keeping dogs on the premises, refusing to pay regular subscriptions, taking out separate buildings insurance, taking charge of common payments upon herslf without consultation and much more. Does anyone have any advice or similar experience to share?

Doozergirl

It's everyone's responsibility to get on with each other. I don't believe that leases are there to constantly be referred to and used against people, I believe in using common sense and a degree of discretion.

What has she done to the common parts? Where do you live in relation to her?

Not paying for things is one thing but you need to let people get on with their lives. It's not a shared house, it's three separate dwellings. Let her have the dog.

Ultimately if you are forced to live in a flat because you can't afford a house then it's always going to be that way. You get a busybody that complains about every tiny thing; someone else who uses the stairwell as storage or tries to decorate it with tacky items; someone that leaves the door permanently on the latch as well.

Make sure the security is good on your front door if you can't stop her leaving it open.

The only way to get by is by communicating properly. What is it that she isn't paying for, is it something she doesn't want? Does she appreciate that insurance as a block is far better than buying it indivually?

And do not write notes. There is no better way to get a neighbours back up than by writing notes.

Back in London, wherever I lived there was always someone annoying sharing the building. You just have to accept that sometimes people will play their music loud or have a pet or whatever and it simply isn't your place to stop them. Because you can be annoying too sometimes