27 June 2007

Corruption

Who knew that when Putin dragged Khordhokovsky out of his plane that it would have an impact on my apartment block in Moscow.

I've written about this before but here's a rehash.  Just before MBK's fall from grace corruption was decreasing.  When it became clear that the law was a tool to achieve an end then corruption reared its ugly head again, and is getting worse and worse and worse as we await a change of power at the top.

Which has what to do with my apartment?  It starts with the initial poster-children of corruption; Beresovsky and his friend Patarkashvilli, the latter of whom bought the top floor of my apartment block just before he left Russia, never (so far anyway) to return.  Which means that for the best part of 8 years nothing has happened to the roof which was already then in need of renovation.  Finally it was bought (it gets complicated here so stick with me); all the owners in a building have a proportionate right to  the attic (cherdak), as one of the larger apartments in the building our proportionate right is to 6% of the 400m2 that constitutes the cherdak or 24m2 (good for a broom cupboard).  However, by assigning our rights to the buyers of the top floor they will undertake to repair the roof and the facade, the bill for which comes to a non-measly $2mn.  Without boring you with the maths, assigning my rights is just about equal to paying for the repairs on the roof and facade.  But then I did not want a 24m2 broom cupboard on the 7th floor.

If you are still with me, and still care, Russian law may or may not (no one's quite sure, but if you are about to invest $3mn+ err on the side of caution) require approval of 100% of the residents.  And now, thanks to Mr. Putin we have a resident (a chinovnik if you must know) who won't pay his portion of the roof repairs ("I don't live on the top floor") and expects $20k in cash to agree.

I think he may have an unfortunate accident in his podezd coming his way.


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4 comments:

Etienne du Clé said...

I had a similar problem (plumbing). By glad happenstance it turned out that the sewerage leak mostly affected their apartment...eventually. Amzing what you can achieve by sweet-talking a Russkie plumbing contractor...

Russophile said...

That is a great story that although difficult and expensive now will provide you years of enjoyment as you retell it.

Anonymous said...

well, of course this is the high end of what we see in most Russian apartment blocks - stinking, dark, dank stairwells, behind which lurk ornate apartments, the residents of which for some reason do not seem to understand or care that the common areas are also part of their living environment and believe the responsibility to upkeep is someone else's / the state's problem. Why should they be arsed to clean and remont if some other sucker will do it instead? (also bitter and twisted from another chinovnik's refusal to stump up his fair share...)

Anonymous said...

Too bad it cannot be handled with ease. Different countries have different issues.

27 June 2007

Corruption

Who knew that when Putin dragged Khordhokovsky out of his plane that it would have an impact on my apartment block in Moscow.

I've written about this before but here's a rehash.  Just before MBK's fall from grace corruption was decreasing.  When it became clear that the law was a tool to achieve an end then corruption reared its ugly head again, and is getting worse and worse and worse as we await a change of power at the top.

Which has what to do with my apartment?  It starts with the initial poster-children of corruption; Beresovsky and his friend Patarkashvilli, the latter of whom bought the top floor of my apartment block just before he left Russia, never (so far anyway) to return.  Which means that for the best part of 8 years nothing has happened to the roof which was already then in need of renovation.  Finally it was bought (it gets complicated here so stick with me); all the owners in a building have a proportionate right to  the attic (cherdak), as one of the larger apartments in the building our proportionate right is to 6% of the 400m2 that constitutes the cherdak or 24m2 (good for a broom cupboard).  However, by assigning our rights to the buyers of the top floor they will undertake to repair the roof and the facade, the bill for which comes to a non-measly $2mn.  Without boring you with the maths, assigning my rights is just about equal to paying for the repairs on the roof and facade.  But then I did not want a 24m2 broom cupboard on the 7th floor.

If you are still with me, and still care, Russian law may or may not (no one's quite sure, but if you are about to invest $3mn+ err on the side of caution) require approval of 100% of the residents.  And now, thanks to Mr. Putin we have a resident (a chinovnik if you must know) who won't pay his portion of the roof repairs ("I don't live on the top floor") and expects $20k in cash to agree.

I think he may have an unfortunate accident in his podezd coming his way.


Technorati Tags: ,

4 comments:

Etienne du Clé said...

I had a similar problem (plumbing). By glad happenstance it turned out that the sewerage leak mostly affected their apartment...eventually. Amzing what you can achieve by sweet-talking a Russkie plumbing contractor...

Russophile said...

That is a great story that although difficult and expensive now will provide you years of enjoyment as you retell it.

Anonymous said...

well, of course this is the high end of what we see in most Russian apartment blocks - stinking, dark, dank stairwells, behind which lurk ornate apartments, the residents of which for some reason do not seem to understand or care that the common areas are also part of their living environment and believe the responsibility to upkeep is someone else's / the state's problem. Why should they be arsed to clean and remont if some other sucker will do it instead? (also bitter and twisted from another chinovnik's refusal to stump up his fair share...)

Anonymous said...

Too bad it cannot be handled with ease. Different countries have different issues.