Outrageous? Residents pay to use facility in condo?

[Wd40]

I've posted this before. Read between the lines, or ask someone who understand how this technology works over a beer (or latte, if it is me):

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2 ... ance_state

Hey ZZM, Welcome back to Singapore What brings you back here again? I believe in this superstition that when you want to leave a place for good, you must close all sorts of association with that place or else it will pull you back. You kept interacting on this forum, as if you were always here, and now you are back here

One of my colleagues in my past company also similar case, he wanted to go back to India. He was glad that he got laid off, he took the severance 7 months salary and went back to India. But he didn't get any good job there was over 4 months, but before leaving Singapore, he attended an interview here and finally he decided to come back here, reluctantly. All those 4 months he had not changed his location in Facebook. I joke with him the same thing, he left his facebook status as Singapore, so destiny brought him back here

[x9200]

Well, this may turn out to be quite short sighted for Reflections. There are many, many vacant units across the Island and rents have been dropping like a stone. So as a prospective tenant, are you going to rent there? I think not.

Typical.

I am not that sure. The apartment for myself is far more important than a BBQ pit (which I may use like twice a year or not at all) but it would be a different story if I intended to use a gym or a swimming pool daily and had to pay for them.

Another problem is, surely nobody informs the prospective tenants upfront about such charges. This would be an interested thing to demand some compensation from the LL.

My landlord actually handed me the condo rule book and encouraged me to read it before signing the TA. He pointed out a few things. Nothing in there was shocking though.

Any clause in my TA referring to any external document is ended with the phrase: ... always provided that the said document/regulations are made available to the tenant.

So far majority of the LLs I had to deal with had no objections to include it.

[JR8]

Let's probe some more extreme situation. Say, I rented a condo with an olympic size swimming pool, 20 bbq pits, a gym, a children playground etc etc and after moving in I discovered that none of these facilities are available to the tenants, and yes, the information about it was posted something like 6 months earlier on the management board and sent by post to the LLs. Still legally ok?

I'd consider not if the facilities were pitched as available to you. Which is why I always expect a copy of the current condo rules attached to any TA, so that it is clear.

A parallel might be the eponymous 'communal garden squares' in Notting Hill, London (and Earls Court, South Ken, Maida Vale ec). Your home might back onto one, the home might have it's own garden and a gate that opens at the end directly onto one of these urban jewel-like oases; but you still have to pay to be a member of the 'communal garden association' and have access to it. And if you're in an upper floor unit without direct access, you have to go to one of the street gates. To get through one of those you need the code for the gate lock, which you don't get unless you contribute to the squares upkeep via the CGS fees.

--- You need the gate code to get out too, as I discovered one time after shoulder-surfing my way in to one, completely on the spur of the moment/opportunity. Enjoying an hour or two there in the largely deserted acres, and then finding I couldn't get back out!

[JR8]

I believe in this superstition that when you want to leave a place for good, you must close all sorts of association with that place or else it will pull you back. You kept interacting on this forum, as if you were always here, and now you are back here

Last time I got relo'd out of SG I kept posting here. That time I did expect to return at some point and it was fun and useful to feel I was keeping abreast of things. [Despite the occasional put-down like 'You don't live here anymore, so what do you know!?' - hehe].

But the time that first posting here (1994-95) ended I never in my wildest imagination thought I'd return here for a 2nd time, never mind a 3rd time. I didn't expect it, neither did I seek it or particularly desire it.

Maybe the coincidence was meeting my SGn now wife, in London. Who I then courted in NYC. That explains the subsequent two relo's here. But after my first stint here, I honestly never imagined I'd be back here to live...

So can I say, 'This time is the last time for sure!' ? I believe it is, but then never say never eh!

[zzm9980]

What brings you back here again?

A lot of money.

You may run into me now too, I live quite near to a very famous Indian vegetarian place

[JR8]

A lot of money.

The vino and cigars are on you next time then.... ;;

Love, or money. That's how it seems to work. Or a passport, for some.

p.s. BTW have you visited Oak Cellars yet? My latest little 'vice den', at Tanglin and Ion (and elsewhere) for Cubans and half way decent (though admittedly $$, but if you don't enjoy it why earn it eh) vino.