SANTO DOMINGO– Those with the highest incomes are the worst payers of maintenance fees in the capital's buildings. Some go months without paying, others often accumulate debts for up to a year while considering the payment, and in the worst cases, they simply never pay, claiming that their responsibility is limited to their comfortable living space.
"Irresponsible people, those going through economic crises, show-offs, the rude, the shameless," among other responses, were some of the responses offered in a survey conducted yesterday by El Inmobiliario, via WhatsApp, to find out the diversity of bad behavior existing in the condominiums of the interviewees.
Yesterday this media outlet published information from real estate law specialist Reyna Echenique, who stated that 70% of occupants in city buildings do not comply with the payment of the maintenance fee.
We share some responses, preserving the identity of those consulted:
“The shameless and the deadbeat don't care about their social class. There are people who think they don't have to pay because this apartment is theirs, and they don't understand the concept of community, they don't respect it. So here, there are towers that might be in upscale neighborhoods like Piantini or Anacaona, and they don't pay, but there are other multi-family buildings with many apartments, and they don't want to pay because they only think about their own space and don't consider that if they pay, they might even have the possibility of a faster sale if they ever need to sell. In other words, it's a culture here where people don't like to pay,” said one interviewee.
"Those who have more are usually the worst payers. Those who have less are a thousand times more responsible." "Those with the most resources are the ones who pay the least.".
"The person or persons who do not fulfill their responsibility to pay for services they receive or consume, it is not necessarily due to their economic condition, but rather to their values, their sense of responsibility.".
"In my building, those who are generally the wealthiest are the worst payers; they let rent accumulate for several months." "Those who can afford it the least and those who have a vacant, unrented property.".
"Those who are selling, those who rent and aren't paid well. Having resources is very subjective; Dominicans are resourceful, sometimes they owe their very souls.".
"The one with the most money is the one who doesn't pay." "The one with financial problems." "The one with the most resources is the one who doesn't pay the maintenance regularly." "Sometimes the one with the most money is the one who doesn't pay." "In my building, the one with the most money never pays on time.".
"Those who have the most don't like to pay, and if they do, they pay late." "To me, he's the shameless, bad payer, regardless of whether he has money or not." "To me, he's the one with the most resources." "In my case, I see that he's the one who can pay the least.".
"Those who aren't educated about the importance of maintenance." "Responsible and honest behavior is more important here than financial considerations, and unfortunately, we're living in a society where there are no consequences." "In my building, there might be delays of one or two months, but everyone pays.".
"Usually, the one with the most money pays the least." "I see that those who mostly don't pay are the ones who have empty apartments and think they don't have to pay." "Where I live, everyone pays." "Those who can afford it the least." "Both." "Those who have the most." "Actually, both, though it's more common for those who can afford it the least.".
Situation in a multi-family building
In a multi-family building in Santo Domingo Norte where security fees are a mere 350 pesos, the situation is no different. “Here, people don’t want to cooperate, and the residents’ association is exhausted. They pay for electricity, garbage collection, and water separately.”.
“Only about 40% are paying. Nobody wants to pay for maintenance; everyone thinks it should be free. Even in our building, where it’s 200 pesos for cleaning, it’s a struggle to collect,” commented one of the residents.
