Using shame to avoid late payment
July 18, 2006
I thought this approach to managing late payments of condo fees in my apartment building here in Panama very interesting. I think it would be very hard to do this in at least the European Union due to Data protection laws. In the US I have a feeling that it would be legal, but frowned upon.
That said in a country with very few official small claims remedies available shame is a pretty easy low tech way of solving the problem. One of the late payers however was a company, which would probably be difficult to shame.
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Comments:
This kind of data is public here also (Romania).
The building of flats is usually owned collectively by the owners of various flats, in accordance with complicate and rather stupid laws therefore most utilities are paid commonly. Tragedy ensues.New building have a private owner so their status and the ensuing system are better but for the many communist-era flats, the State gave up any involvement early on and instead put in place questionable laws...
Posted by: Gabriel M. at July 18, 2006 07:57 PM
I definitely can imagine those collective apartments being problematic.
Are the laws you mention heavy on pro tenant rights?
Posted by: Pelle at July 18, 2006 08:13 PM
In the US I have a feeling that it would be legal, but frowned upon.
I'm not sure about the latter - maybe. I had a landlord - large building, on the verge of going downhill to being a slum or upscale. The manager would put envelopes on her office door, facing the lobby, the day that rent was late.
Just an envelope, with the tenents last name and apartment number. But we all _knew_ what was what.
Posted by: Brian at July 18, 2006 08:46 PM
