What's wrong with this lawyer?!

Chapter 27: Chapter 27 How is he more concerned than us?

Three options?

They had heard clearly what to do, but how to choose had everyone beginning to hesitate.

Although everyone found the property management particularly hateful, going to court over such a small matter seemed too much...

This was a normal situation, actually related to our long-standing "non-litigation" culture. Even today, it is still a focus in public messaging.

The rate of mediation and case withdrawal is also a key statistic.

No one wanted to take legal action because it was troublesome, yet the problem had to be resolved.

Going to the other party's door and starting a physical fight was even more unrealistic, but was establishing an owners' committee realistic then?

"Lawyer Tang, if we sue the property management, how much money can we win?" Zhao Ruixia thought for a moment and then asked.

The other owners all perked up their ears; they did not care about the professional aspects, only about one thing, and that was money, the benefits.

To this, Tang Fangjing also gave a direct answer, "This, I cannot determine right now, but I can say with certainty that the amount will not be much."

"Based on other cases that I understand, compensation is usually about ten to twenty percent of the property management fees, so everyone can decide whether to sue based on the situation."

The interest of the owners dropped at that, thinking there wasn't much money to be had, so what was the point of suing.

One of the owners said directly there, "Then let's not bother with all this and just pay the property fees to avoid going around in court."

Seeing that everyone seemed not very interested, Tang Fangjing looked at Secretary Tian from the community side and spoke again, "Then, what do you all think about establishing an owners' committee?"

Hearing this, most of the owners looked disinterested; Money Grandpa said directly, "Little Tang, as I've said before, the neighborhood tried this once before, but it was impossible to establish one."

"Yeah, Lawyer Tang, actually I really want there to be an owners' committee, but... well, how do I put it, the people in this community are not united at all," Zhao Ruixia likewise spoke.

"Back then, so many people in the group agreed not to pay the property fees. But what happened? They turned around and paid anyway; it's pointless, it just doesn't work."

On the other side, Old Wang asked, "Little Tang, let's not talk about other things for a second, but what's the use of this owners' committee?"

Tang Fangjing cleared his throat, about to speak, when a young person among the owners interjected, "What use can it be, it's to terminate the property management, isn't it? And here I thought you, some professional, would offer some good advice."

"It's all over the internet, after terminating this property management, other companies won't dare to come, and then our community would become an abandoned one. What owners' committee? Utterly useless. I can't be bothered with all this trouble, I'm out of here."

The young person walked off, leaving other owners with expressions that showed they also wanted to leave, feeling this so-called professional was utterly useless.

Of course, this was also the outcome for many after consulting with a lawyer: I posed questions, you offered no solutions, so what use is asking you?

Tang Fangjing spoke up, seemingly unaffected, "Old Wang, the owners' committee can do a lot. For example, in the case of breach of contract, the committee can sue on behalf of everyone, sparing you the trouble."

"For another example, the property management claims they lack the funds to hire cleaners because people aren't paying fees. Without a committee, we have no way to refute that, but with one, we can audit them and see what's really causing them not to hire cleaners, not to clean."

At this point, some of the owners had already lifted their heads, and they were all already annoyed with what Director Hou had said, yet they had no idea how to respond.

"Lastly, there's another benefit that everyone is surely aware of: All the revenue generated from the ground-level operations of our complex should belong to all the owners."

"However, throughout all these years, has anyone ever seen a penny of that? Have the property managers ever shown you? No, look in the lift, look at the entrance, advertisements are everywhere..."

Upon hearing this, everyone had already lifted their heads, which meant, were they saying there's income to be had from the community?

Lack of unity didn't matter; with financial interests, there were no worries about not uniting people.

Most importantly, the property management of this community had too many shady operations, and everyone had become intolerant of it.

Meanwhile, Kong Xiufang was dumbstruck, to hear you say such things in front of me?

Aren't you afraid I would tell the company?

Tang Fangjing naturally was not afraid, the property management was very clear on such matters, and besides, from starting preparations to actual establishment, it wouldn't be a short time.

If someone wanted to pull off some shady operation, they could have done it long ago, and it would hardly make a difference when found out.

As for falsifying accounts or destroying account books, well, you'd have to see if there's any accountant willing to take that risk...

But just as Old Qian had said, there had already been attempts at forming a homeowners' committee before, which ended in complete disarray, with accusations of receiving bribes, embezzling funds, and amidst all the rumors and procedural roadblocks, interest gradually waned.

"I know what everyone is worried about, and since Secretary Tian is also here, if you trust me, I can help with this. All you need to do is cooperate and leave the heavy lifting to me," Tang Fangjing said.

Whether the homeowners' committee would make things better or worse was unknown, but it was certain to be an improvement over the current situation of homeowners constantly quarreling with the property management, going to court.

Ah, this is moving too fast. We were just talking about lawsuits, and now we're moving on to establishing a homeowners' committee.

The community and the street office would need to be deeply involved in forming a homeowners' committee, but is this really appropriate?

According to Secretary Tian's knowledge, in Jingzhou, there were very few neighborhoods that had formed a homeowners' committee. He had heard that in Magic City and The Capital, such committees were more common, but those were first-tier cities.

Moreover, Secretary Tian glanced at Tang Fangjing. Did this young man not realize that by doing this, he was directly opposing the property management and essentially drawing fire upon himself?

Not to mention, if anything went wrong, he would be despised by the entire neighborhood. With so much at stake, what was his motive?

Zhao Ruixia looked at the others and still asked, "Lawyer Tang, it's not that we don't trust you. It's just that this is happening too fast, and didn't you just move in yesterday? How come you seem more invested than us..."

Tang Fangjing replied with a laugh, "Ms. Zhao, I'm not one to get up early without a cause. People work on profitable deals, but they would never engage in a losing business."

"Think about it, if I can help everyone establish the homeowners' committee, wouldn't all future legal cases for the committee come my way?"

"You know what that means? A huge market, countless cases, so of course I have to be more concerned than anyone else. This is about whether I'll have a livelihood in the future!"

So that was the reason, and considering this, it seemed reasonable indeed...

Without second thoughts, Zhao Ruixia didn't consider why other lawyers weren't doing the same if the benefits were so significant.

Setting up a homeowners' committee is not simply about following the law step by step. It's not life-or-death competition, but its intensity could certainly overwhelm the average person.

It meant forcibly creating an entity above the property management with the power to control it!

As a result, many give up halfway. Current property managements wouldn't dare use brute force, but they had plenty of ways to make things difficult.

However, Tang Fangjing was indifferent; being uncomfortable was better than losing one's life.

"Of course, preparing for the homeowners' committee won't be possible without everyone's support. Let's start today; I need a few people to form a preparatory group with me..."

Are we really rushing this?

The homeowners present looked at each other, feeling the pace was too fast to handle.

But Tang Fangjing knew that he had to strike while the iron was hot, while everyone's emotions against General Hou were still running high.

Otherwise, after going home and discussing with family, persuading one another that it's better to do less than more, then what was the point?

Indeed, Zhao Ruixia was the first to stand up and say, "I'll join this preparatory group. Lawyer Tang, I work as an accountant, and I feel I can definitely help everyone!"

"Then I'll join too, since I've got nothing better to do anyway," said the enthusiastic Old Qian.

People began to discuss fervently, while Kong Xiufang had quietly left.

Soon, General Hou on the other side received the news.

"What? How come out of the blue they want to establish a homeowners' committee?"