GURGAON: The RWA of Uppal Southend in the city has publicly named households that have not paid maintenance dues and warned them of possible curbs on services such as maid entry, car washing and food deliveries.The threat, displayed on a notice board at the society gate, has sharpened a long-running payment dispute – even though such restrictions are not within an RWA’s ambit. The association, however, said the notice was only meant as a warning and that no services have actually been stopped.The notice was put up at Gate No. 1 in the W and S blocks of the society off Sohna Road, where around 1,000 families live. It listed residents with pending dues and said non-essential services would be suspended with immediate effect until payments were cleared.According to the association, around 260 households had unpaid maintenance amounting to nearly Rs 40 lakh until a week ago. Since the notice was displayed, around 80 households have cleared their dues, helping the RWA recover nearly Rs 10 lakh. Their names were subsequently removed from the list.Col Surender Kumar (retd), president of the RWA, said the association had been repeatedly asking residents to pay the monthly maintenance charge of Rs 1,200. “The notice mentions suspension of services like maid entry, car washing and deliveries from platforms like Zomato and Swiggy. But none of these curbs has been enforced so far. It is only a warning to encourage residents to clear their dues,” he added.Kumar said the RWA was still trying to resolve the matter through discussion rather than coercion. “We are sending notices and speaking to residents. Some have agreed to pay in instalments. The idea is not to act harshly. An RWA exists for the welfare of residents. Our effort is to resolve the issue through dialogue and consensus,” he said.Residents were asked to clear their dues within two weeks, with the RWA warning that stricter steps could be considered if payments were still not made. Kumar said the association had carried out a similar exercise earlier as well. “If we had not started this process, the outstanding amount would have risen much further. So far, this is only a warning. No deliveries or services have been stopped,” he said.Some residents backed the move, saying the RWA was under pressure to keep the society running.Sanjay Sangela, a resident, said the monthly charge was modest but essential for the upkeep of the area. “The maintenance here is only about Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,250 a month, but some residents have not paid for a long time. This money is used for security, sanitation, lighting and cleanliness. If people do not pay, it becomes difficult to run these services. Publishing names may make some uncomfortable, but it can also push defaulters to clear their dues,” he added.Others, however, said publicly displaying names should have been the last resort.Rajesh Khatana, former RWA president, said the association should first have sent invoices, reminders or made calls to residents. “Sometimes, people miss payments for two or three months without realising it. Proper communication should come first. Public naming should be the final step after all other options are exhausted. Technology can be used better, with regular messages, calls and billing reminders,” he said.Asked if the RWA was within its rights to issue such a warning, deputy commissioner Ajay Kumar said the matter would be examined. “We will look into the issue and verify whether due procedure has been followed. Necessary action will be taken if any irregularity is found,” he added.The district registrar of firms and societies, Amit Mann, could not be reached for a comment.However, an official familiar with the functioning of RWAs said associations should not stop essential or basic services to residents even in case of disputes over dues. “Services such as electricity, water supply and access to one’s home cannot be curtailed. The entry of domestic helps, car cleaners or delivery agents should not be arbitrarily restricted as well as residents have the right to receive such services,” he added.However, in case of defaults, RWAs can issue legal notices and initiate recovery proceedings rather than restricting services, the official said.
