Ardee residents, builder spar over high upkeep fees

Residents of Ardee City have threatened to hit the protest path against the developer for charging exorbitant maintenance fee after divisional commissioner D Suresh rejected their plea to separate water bills from upkeep costs. According to the residents of this Sector 52-based condominium, the developer had snapped water supply to the homes in September, citing non-payment of maintenance charges. The residents approached deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh, who directed the builder to reconnect supplies forthwith. The residents, on their part, promised to clear pending water bills, but insisted that the water bills be separated from the overall maintenance charges. But, the builder, though restored the water supply, approached Suresh against the residents’ demand to separate water bills from upkeep costs. The residents and the builders have reportedly been at loggerheads since 2009, when the maintenance charges were raised for the first time. The residents had also filed a petition in the Delhi District Consumer Forum in 2009. While the matter is still pending with the forum, the builder further raised the upkeep charges in 2013 and 2016. As a result, around 1,800 of 2,500 families living in Ardee City gradually stopped paying maintenance fees, prompting the builder to snap water supply in September. “We are not against raising maintenance charges but it must be discussed with the residents,” said a member of the present RWA. Suresh told media the residents could not stop paying maintenance charges when the forum hadn’t decided anything in this regard. “They will have to pay unless the forum passes its order.” A senior official of Ardee builder said they needed money to augment infrastructure to take water to the houses. “There is so much logistics and man power involved. Also, water bills and maintenance bills are already separate. But they cannot decide paying for water and not for maintenance,” he added.