Payment for an Empty Apartment in a Building
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Question
A person bought an apartment in a building, and it remains empty. Does he need to pay the building committee, and if so, how much? He claims that since he does not benefit, he should not pay, while the residents argue that his apartment costs them money in electricity, water, and other expenses.
Answer
According to Halacha, he is not obligated to pay except for maintenance expenses such as elevator insurance, roof sealing, parking barrier, pipe repairs, etc. However, he is not required to pay for ongoing expenses, as explained in Choshen Mishpat, Siman 161, and in the Netivot there. Nevertheless, if there is a custom to charge more, he must pay according to the custom, and if there are several customs, he can only be obligated to the lowest custom.
Source
Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat, Siman 161
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