Can I charge my property management company?

Squidman7

I have informed the property management company that manage the shared outdoor spaces around my property on a few occasions that I don’t want glyphosphate weed killer spraying near or on my property.

They went against this last year and I made a formal complaint, I had CCTV footage of it taking place.

They have only gone and done it again today, spraying all around my car that I am currently working on at the back of my garage. Again I have CCTV footage.

Where do I stand in terms of billing them for the cleaning of the area outside my garage and around my car where they have sprayed this toxic chemical? I am working on my car currently and will be rolling around on the floor in this stuff which I fear presents a risk to my health.

TIA

Aylesbury_Duck

If they're contractually engaged to clean the weeds around your property, I don't think you're going to get anywhere. I suspect you don't have the power to veto their work on the shared outdoor spaces.

If they've actually sprayed it on your property, the simplest thing to do is to make up a bucket of soapy water and use a broom to brush it over the affected area, then rinsing with a bucket of clean water.

If you want to bill them, get a couple of quotes from people prepared to do the above, then send them a request for payment.

Edited in response to your edit: You'd be silly to roll around on the floor in the stuff now you know it's there. Clean it as suggested above before doing any rolling.

born_again

Why not just put something on the ground to stop you rolling on the ground. As you might just open a can of worms, with your work on the car & they say that the grounds are not a workshop.

Squidman7

The point I was making is I want to bill them for the cleaning, I’m clearly not going to roll around in chemicals until that’s done 🤷🏻‍♂️🙄

Aylesbury_Duck

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81991414#Comment_81991414

Is it your property, though? If it is then get some quotes and send them a request for payment. Or get it done and send them the bill. If it isn't your property, and you're fixing your car on the road or in a shared parking space, for example, you probably have no right to tell them they can't spray there.

To answer your question, you can charge/invoice anyone you like, and sue anyone you like, too.

Squidman7

It’s right outside my garage / in my parking space, so well within my rights to tell them not to spray there.

I’ve made another formal complaint and requested an address from them to send the invoice to.

The wider shared area is jointly owned by all the residents that use the garage areas and courtyard, my garages are appended to the rear of my garden / house.

LightFlare

Just an "observation" - if you pay the management company an annual fee for maintenance, then you will effectively be paying for part of the invoice that you submit to them - especially if they raise the fees due to increased costs

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81991432#Comment_81991432

But is "right outside my garage / in my parking space" actually your property as such, in terms of what the title deeds say?

Who liaises with the management company on behalf of the residents, i.e. is there a committee or association who instructs them?

Jenni_D

Is this one better served by the House Buying etc. board?

eddddy

The answer depends a lot on what your lease says. The 2 most common options would be…

• 1) The parking space is demised to you, and you are responsible for maintaining it (i.e. you effectively own the parking space)

• 2. The Parking spaces all belong to the freeholder, and the freeholder is responsible for maintaining them. But you have an exclusive (or non-exclusive) right to park in one of the spaces

If it's option 1, the management company shouldn't be spraying weed killer on your land without your consent.

If it's option 2, it's the freeholder's land and in general, the freeholder can allow the management company to do anything they want to their own land. But I guess your argument is that what they are doing with their land presents a health risk to you.

If it's option 2, getting the management company to pay for a clean-up might be a challenge. You'd probably have to show that they were negligent by spraying the weedkiller.

Okell

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81991499#Comment_81991499

Yes. It's not consumer rights. I'll ask for it to be moved