Do you know of anyone who has actually had their water stopped for not paying colones fees?

I'm talking about homes where people are actually living in the house.

Just xurious.

The fracc can put a restricter in the meter to reduce flow substantially but it is against federal law to stop all service. That has been my understanding,

That is what I heard too, many years ago. I presume it is still the same.

Clueless wrote:I'm talking about homes where people are actually living in the house.

Just xurious.

Yes, when we lived there water was severely restricted to residents in our Fracc who were in default on their fees. You cannot entirely cut off the water entirely, but it can be reduced to a mere trickle. The pipa truck made a lot of trips to our neighborhood.

The jury is still out on this as far as I know. Apparently the Mexican constitution has some sort of decree that gives the right of access to water to all citizens and there are many differing viewpoints on what that really means. It is a subject of debate whether water companies can actually cut off the "delivery" of water to a non-paying customer - some say you can, some say you can't. In order to avoid legal challenges, restrictors are used to restrict the flow to a trickle which is an inconvenience to the user. Why anybody thinks it is perfectly fine for someone else to bear the financial cost of running the pumps and maintaining the water delivery infrastructure is beyond me. Integrity seems to be a commodity in short supply in some neighbourhoods.

Key words would be "access to water". Just because there is no water coming from the tap but is available a couple blocks away would still qualify as access to water - just inconvenient. Frac fees aren't just about water, usually there is street maintenance, garbage pickup, street lighting, etc as part of the fees. You're right Ezzie, "Why anybody thinks it is perfectly fine for someone else to bear the financial cost of running the pumps and maintaining the water delivery infrastructure is beyond me." I have a neighbor that thinks it's okay not to pay frac fees since he sees the municipality doing the garbage pickup and he pays his power bills so that explains why the street lights are on.

What is bothering me is that it seems so many people don't pay their fees yet they get nothing but an occasional letter asking them to pay.

I have had this issue for five-years and have asked the BOD for details and was never given any. It's always, "we're working on it."

I find it difficult to believe, even in Mexico, there is nothing in place to enforce the rules for payment of dues, and as said, for more than just water.

CFE and Telmex have it figured out. You don't pay - they cut you off. Simple solution.

It seems that the fraccs/gated communities that have "weekender" owners or absent owners are plagued with this problem of them not paying the bills or HOA fees. Buyer beware...........

CanuckBob wrote:It seems that the fraccs/gated communities that have "weekender" owners or absent owners are plagued with this problem of them not paying the bills or HOA fees. Buyer beware...........

It's critical to determine if the fraccs/gated communities are actually what they state they are; in other words do they have the authority to collect fees and have all the legal documents stating they do, or if in fact they are a gated community or fracc at all...

Clueless wrote:What is bothering me is that it seems so many people don't pay their fees yet they get nothing but an occasional letter asking them to pay.

I have had this issue for five-years and have asked the BOD for details and was never given any. It's always, "we're working on it."

I find it difficult to believe, even in Mexico, there is nothing in place to enforce the rules for payment of dues, and as said, for more than just water.

People say there was a scofflaw in Vista del Lago who refused to pay his fees and was sued by the BOD. The judge told him that if he didn't want to pay the fracc fees he shouldn't have moved to a fracc. He took the hint and sold his property. Or so I've heard.

Many of the smaller "clusters" of homes have common areas that need to be maintained but are not big enough to have a registered HOA and therefore no legal authority to collect HOA fees. That seems to be where a lot of problems develop as some homeowners cannot get along with each other and do not want to contribute to the upkeep of the common areas.

Once in my life, my spouse and I were fool enough to buy in a "gated community" in CA and quickly discovered the downside of having a house with a man made lake, a personal boat dock and all the niceties of a community pool, etc., etc.
The problem is always OTHER PEOPLE.  You have to deal with a contentious group called a HOA.  We sold out at the first opportunity and moved.  Never again.  Same here in Mexico.

Ezzie wrote:Many of the smaller "clusters" of homes have common areas that need to be maintained but are not big enough to have a registered HOA and therefore no legal authority to collect HOA fees.  That seems to be where a lot of problems develop as some homeowners cannot get along with each other and do not want to contribute to the upkeep of the common areas.

Sometimes, in these situations, you get a self appointed "dictator/treasurer" that destroys any sense of cooperation or willingness to share responsibilities and costs.

I have a simple rule: Never buy into any type of condominium or other situation with a Home Owner Association or Neighborhood Association. It always spells trouble and unhappiness.
Look for a normal home, on a normal street, with only the tax office and utilities to deal with. You will be happier & more secure with friendly neighbors.

And if you do buy in one be sure to read the board meeting minutes for the past two years and talk with people who live there. Preferably ones that rent as they have no vested interest.

Long ago our mexican attorney told us a fracc can cut off 90% of the water flow to scofflaws.
"Heresay, inadmissable".

Well if you are just there only on the weekends that 10% trickle will fill your aljibe between visits.......

Another rule. Never live next to a hotel that does not pay its water bill as the water company, once it cuts off the hotel's water supply may cut your water as well if you share their pipeline. And if you complain, they eternally apologize but do nothing. incompetent morons.

I wonder if you could plug their sewer line. That would work a lot quicker.

You know the old joke about the body parts arguing about who would be in charge.