Continuing with our philosophy of continuous, incremental enhancements – Administrators now have a setting to control if members can post Community Complaints (which is enabled by default). When disabled, members will only be allowed to post Personal complaints. Go to Complex->Settings to see this in action.

Configure ApnaComplex to suit your society needs better!

We have just made your Facility Manager more productive. The Complaint Box Admins now have the ability to select the “Maintenance Staff” who actually attends the complaint. Admins can not only select the staff – but also SMS the staff on the latest update of the complaint at any time. Now, there are multiple benefits of this – Committee Members / Facility managers can instantly know the workload on a given staff. In addition, the SMS acts as an mechanism to instantly inform of new complaints to the staff in the field.

Try and update any Complaint and you can see this in action. We also enhanced the reports to be able to easily get reports for complaints worked by staff.

In an year, there are various occasions when we hold a party at our house – Birthdays of family members, Diwali party, Christmas & New Year celebrations and a whole lot more. However, there is a marked difference between holding a party in an apartment complex and holding a party in an independent house.

In a independent house, you are your own boss and you can do whatever you want to; but in an apartment complex, there are other people too who live in the same building as you, and therefore, certain things need to be kept in mind in order to make sure that your party is a success:

Inviting a select few without offending others

Often, this is the most precarious situation one finds themselves in while organising a party in an residential society. There are times when you cannot invite everybody in the building, but you don’t want to offend people too. A solution to this could be calling up the people you want to invite to the party, instead of going from door to door and making a hullabaloo of it. But then again, people would eventually come to know at the day of the party. To ensure that nobody feels left out, you can distribute some sweets or small souvenirs in the entire building after the party so that they don’t feel left out.

Take permission from the management

Prior to holding any party, inform the management about it and ask for permission to play music etc. If you holding the party in the lawns or the club house, make sure you take requisite permission from concerned people so that they do not play spoilsport at your party.

Lower the volume after 11pm

People do not like being disturbed during their sleeping time. If you are playing music at your party, make sure you turn down the volume after 11. Doing so not only ensures that people have a sound sleep but it also shows that you care for other people in the apartment, which could work in your favour even if you left somebody out.

Pay attention to parking

Apartment complexes do not have a huge space to accommodate the guests’ cars vehicles. Make sure you inform the guests beforehand that the cars have to be parked outside the gate and see to it that the cars are parked properly, so that people coming in and out of the apartment are not inconvenienced. You could tell the guard at the gate to help people park their vehicles in order to make sure there are no traffic jams outside the building.

Taking care of decoration

Without proper decoration, a party seems to lack the fizz. Apart from decorating the apartment, decorating the hallways can add the wow factor to your party. However, since you don’t own the complete building, decorating the hallway can offend the residents of the apartment. But there’s a way out. You can decorate the hallways without causing damage to the building. Instead of using decoration material which requires hammering in nails in the walls of the building, a better way to decorate is to use decorative lights. You could use the decorative lights on a plant, which is either owned by the apartment management or a plant of your own. If it is a day party, you could play around with rangolis made of flowers or use other flower decoration which does not require hanging it from the walls. 

Keeping the above points in mind can make sure that you have a rocking party without offending anyone in the apartment complex. After all, you are going to party just once in a while, but you have to live with the apartment residents all the while.

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ApnaComplex is an apartment managment software. We are offering a 30-day no obligation free trial for every complex. Go ahead and register your complex and see how you can manage your complex more easily, efficiently, and effectively.

An apartment security agency can solve more than half your worries, and how!

Apartment security has been quintessentially ignored, as people hardly realize the gravity of having proper security measures in place for apartments. There are many common problems that can be noted in most apartments as members of the apartment association realize the fact that they need the services of a professional apartment security agency a little too late. 

Common Mistakes

A common attitude that many people in apartment associations and resident welfare committees share is that apartment security does not require the involvement of professional and trained men. This fact cannot be more wrong.

Association members who believe that making mistakes is the only path to learning will often pay a price for their negligence, as improper security measures will often bring about distrust and suspicion in the minds of the residents.

The whole idea about living as a community is learning to co-exist in peace and harmony, and this dreamy glass wall will be shattered when any physical damage or loss is caused due to negligence in the security’s part or also due to lack of proper security.

Why battle suits from unsatisfied residents and live in a perennial state of unrest, when apartment security agencies can provide an instant solution for all your security worries?

Why Sudden Fixes Don’t Work

Many apartment associations also resort to sudden decisions like hiring a patrol service temporarily. This may keep out all vandals and troublemakers, but this is just a temporary solution and not a long term solution. Hiring an apartment security agency can provide a long term solution with benefits, as professional security men will develop a bond with the residents of the apartment complex over time, thus taking up more responsibility.

Looking for a security agency to secure your apartment complex?
Check out Marketplace from ApnaComplex and request for quotations from multiple security service agencies at the click of a button.

Apartment Security Agency – The Benefits

Any apartment should have a detailed security plan and a procedure that all security units in the apartment should follow. A comprehensive plan will contribute a lot towards reducing criminal activity in the region to nonexistent levels from minimal proportions. There are many benefits to hiring a professional security agency, and some of this is monetary too.

Just think of the amount of money that you can save, which will otherwise be spent on maintaining and repairing infrastructure affected by acts of vandalism. Residents will also be content, and overall occupancy will significantly increase.

Other key benefits of hiring an apartment security agency are:

• Guards from an apartment security agency will be well trained, and many guards will come in shifts.
• These guards will maintain detailed logs on the activities that occur in and around the complex and will patrol through the complex all through the night.
• These apartment security agencies will also compensate for any loss of infrastructure that occurs due to their negligence.
• All guards from an apartment security agency will be well equipped, with flashlights, tactical pens, and many modes of communication (pagers, cell phones, landline connections) and in some cases, arms and ammunition.

These are some of the advantages of hiring professional guards, over hiring temporary patrolmen who serve no purpose at all. Every apartment association should conduct a search on the best agencies and choose one among these for hire.

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ApnaComplex is an apartment managment software. We are offering a 30-day no obligation free trial for every complex. Go ahead and register your complex and see how you can manage your complex more easily, efficiently, and effectively.

A swimming pool is an irresistible attraction in any residential apartment complex. It is the perfect way to exercise, unwind, and simply splash around with your kids for a fun, family evening. However, often, apartment associations neglect the maintenance of the swimming pool, making it an eye sore, as well as a health hazard.

To prevent potential health problems, here are some simple swimming pool maintenance tips.

1. Maintain optimum pool chemistry

   A swimming pool must have a pH level of 7.2 – 7.6 for the water sanitizers, such as chlorine, to work well. Using a drop test kit to regularly measure the pH level of the swimming pool in your apartment can prevent the pH level from going too high or too low. To lower pH levels, Hydrochloric Acid is commonly used. There are other alternatives to maintain the pH level, such as granular acid or pH minus. The amount of total dissolved solids and the calcium hardness of the water in the swimming pool should be tested every six months.

2. Use Chlorine to treat water

   Chlorine is the most commonly used pool sanitizer; however it has certain side effects such as red eyes and dry eyes. Floating chlorine feeders and automatic chlorine feeders are better ways of maintaining chlorine levels, as compared to simply putting chlorine sticks/chlorine tablets in the pool.

3. Alternative treatment methods

   There are alternative means of water treatment which you can use to sanitize your apartment pool. Mineral purification systems, which pump the water through minerals like silver and copper, kill the algae and bacteria present in the water. Salt chlorinators are another great way to maintain the chlorine level of your pool. An electrode is attached to the plumbing system of the pool, which can convert the natural salt added, to chlorine.




Looking for a agency to maintain swimming pool in your apartment complex?
Check out Marketplace from ApnaComplex and request for quotations from multiple swimming pool maintenance agencies at the click of a button.

4. Regular cleaning of the swimming pool

   Pools need to be cleaned every day. Leafs and other debris must be removed daily. The swimming pool pumps must be run daily for a couple of hours, so that the water in the pool remains fresh. In summers, the pump needs to be run for a longer time to filter the water adequately. The walls and bottom tiles of a pool need to be brushed frequently to prevent algae from growing on these surfaces.

5. Keep the skimmers, and other pool machinery and equipment clean

   Pool skimmers, Leaf catchers, pumps and chlorine dispensers must be cleaned regularly. It is easy to ignore cleaning the skimmers, but if they get clogged, the circulation of water in the pool will be reduced, because of which the water in the swimming pool may become unsafe for swimmers.

6. Checking the water level

   The water level of a pool should never go below the level of the pool skimmers, or the pool circulation mechanism will not work effectively. A good option is to install automatic water levelers to check the water level and fill the pool with water once the water level drops below a specific level.

7. Pool hygiene rules

   The apartment association should have a set of common rules for all the pool users, such as taking showers before entering the pool and not throwing any food items in the pool. The swimming pool is the common property of all the apartment owners, and they should take care to ensure that it remains clean and hygienic.

8. Safety measures

   It is equally important to maintain safe swimming pool practices, such as specific pool timings, adult supervision when children use the pool, basic first aid training to the pool users, and safety kit. The edges of the pool can become slippery and cause people to slip and get hurt. So, keeping the pool surroundings clean and safe is always recommended.

A well maintained swimming pool is an asset to an apartment complex. But improper care can turn into an eye sore.

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ApnaComplex is an apartment managment software. We are offering a 30-day no obligation free trial for every complex. Go ahead and register your complex and see how you can manage your complex more easily, efficiently, and effectively.

In a two part series, ApnaComplex examines the Estate Manager Efficiency, the profile and job resposnibilities of an estate manager. Read the Part-1 of this Estate Manager Special here.

Maintaining accounts and performing bookkeeping activities

The apartment estate manager is supposed to ensure that all accounts pertaining to purchase and sales relating to the apartment are in order. As most estate managers are required to handle bookkeeping and accounts, having an intrinsic knowledge of accounting software is beneficial for the apartment estate manager. Computerized management of accounts saves time and also ensures accountability and transparency.

Human Resources

Hiring household and estate staff and ensuring they perform their duties to the best of their ability is a key aspect of being an apartment manager. The apartment manager is also responsible for releasing any excess staff in a smooth manner. The manager has to run a background check of the local labor, while hiring and also check for any past criminal records.

The apartment manager has to ensure that the staffs receive their payments on time and arrears in payment, if any, are subsequently paid. Settling pay hike disputes with unions and other organizations is also an important job role of an apartment manager. Unions are volatile organizations and maintaining a cordial relationship with them is important. Thus, an apartment manager has to be well versed in personal relations as well.

Dispute Management and Resolution

The apartment manager has to act as an intermediary in the context of any disputes over common areas or disagreements on usage of areas such as swimming pool, gym, sauna and sports rooms. In any large apartment complex there are disputes between the residents from time to time and the apartment manager has to be mature enough to handle such volatile situations. The manager has to find a proper solution that is suitable for both the parties involved and settle the dispute.

Ensuring smooth processes

The apartment manager has to ensure that residents can move in and out of the apartment in a smooth and easy manner. The manager has to maintain a list of efficient packers and movers in the area and he has to base this list in terms of past services rendered.

Aiding in promotional activities

The apartment manager has to coordinate with any private agencies, which are looking to engage in promotional activities in the apartment complex. Obtaining special discounts and commission for the apartment is to be done by the apartment manager.

Conducting workshops for residents and networking

The estate manager can network with the neighboring apartment communiites and layouts and then organize small workshops on topics related to community living and efficient living to all residents. Topics such as eco-friendly living, rain warer harvesting, best practice sharing among communities will be well recieved by all residents. This also helps in bringing together all communities in a neighborhood

Ability to work with Apartment Management Software

Employing property management software also ensures timely collection and payment of dues. It also helps the estate manager communicate with vendors and ensure timely delivery of required estate materials. On the whole, knowledge of appropriate apartment management software will make the apartment manager an efficient and organized individual.

Other aspects of an effcient estate manager include:

• Ensuring timely and correct disposal of waste in designated areas. The apartment manager has to ensure that PWD department is ready to assist in terms of problems with sewage overflow during the monsoon season.
• Maintaining a contact list for emergency series that include police, ambulance, public works department, water department and fire service.
• Gaining knowledge of at least 3 different languages so as to be able to converse with different people. Ideally English, Hindi and the local Lingua Franca

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ApnaComplex – the value for money apartment management software is offering 30-day no obligation free trial for every complex. Go ahead and register your complex and see how you can manage your complex more easily, efficiently, and effectively.

In a two part series, ApnaComplex examines the Estate Manager Efficiency, the profile and job responsibilities of an estate manager.

Definition And Outline Of Job Profile – Estate Manager For Apartments

An estate manager is a manager or a caretaker of a property or piece of land that is privately owned. Estate managers are similar to landlords and they perform many similar functions. Estate managers might be either permanent or short term caretakers of property and they are generally appointed by the owner of the land or his legally appointed representative, such as the apartment owners association in the case of apartments. Apartment managers are responsible for managing the everyday activities of apartment and this may vary from something as simple as collecting rent to settling disputes between residents amicably. Apartment managers are generally required to live inside the premises of the land they are responsible for, usually in separate living quarters. You can use this artcile to understand the profile of an estate manager, how to look for for an efficient estate manager and also evaluate if your current estate manager fits the bill.

Power Of Attorney, Responsible Management

The estate manager is responsible for representing the residents of the complex. The manager has to take up any complaints and redress them. The apartment manger speaks on behalf of the apartment to the police or any government body. S/he is also responsible for the overall management and smooth running of the day to day activities of the apartment.

Qualification Of An Apartment Manager

An apartment manager is required to have formal training and prior experience in managing an estate or piece of private property. Generally, managers are also obligated to have some knowledge of land laws and rules pertaining to tenants and settling of disputes. Some amount of qualification in accounting precepts and formal training in computers are also essential to be an efficient estate manager. Managers are also required to have a wide knowledge in management of general household duties. It is also important that apartment estate managers know the in depth functioning and mechanisms behind the working of machinery and equipments such as elevators, water pumps, sewage and storm water drains, generators, water tanks and piping. This is because the apartment estate manager is required to deal with a variety of vendors and individuals to repair, operate or maintain these equipments and basic knowledge will aid in speeding up any processes that involve these.

Duties Of An Apartment Manager:

Specific duties of estate managers may differ according to requirement, however some of the basic duties of an estate manager are as follows:

Ensuring proper security

Ensuring security in the premises and coordinating with police to ensure that they arrive on time in case of any emergency is an essential role of the apartment manager. Managers are also responsible for ensuring security personnel are hired from a trustworthy agency. The security personnel must be required to check every person that enters the complex and ensure that they are registered at the front desk.

Ensuring effective management of day to day errands

The manager has to ensure that the payment of bills, depositing credit instruments etc are done in an efficient manner. On a daily basis an apartment may have a huge volume of transactions and the manager has to keep a record of each transaction so that the residents or the association can inspect it if they wish to. All purchasing and selling has to be transparent. The manager is also responsible for coordinating with all government agencies such electricity department and public works department.

Inspecting the property

The manager has to inspect the apartment complex at least once a day and ensure that swimming pools, generators and public toilets are in good order. This is important considering it is the only way by which the manager and hence the association will have a clear idea as to how the apartment maintenance staff are performing. The manager also has an opportunity to step out of the office and interact with residents of the apartment and other executive staff to gain insights and feedback that he may not have earlier been in a position to receive.

Presentation and landscaping

Ensuring proper landscaping and making sure that the apartment is presentable is one of the most important duties of an apartment manager. The manager has to maintain the presentation of the apartment so that the value of the apartment complex does not reduce in the future. In order to do this he has to coordinate with the staff to ensure regular and efficient sweeping and cleaning of common areas. In case any painting work is required, the manager has to ensure this is done without any inconvenience to the residents.

Events

Organizing private parties and events that pertain to the estate and coordinating with the various associations in the apartment is also a part of the manager’s duties. The manager has to make sure that materials and the manpower required for these events are made available. An apartment is a community and the manager must bring together the apartment residents during festive and social events to ensure harmony in the complex and to foster the community spirit.

To be continued in part-2

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ApnaComplex – the value for money apartment management software is offering 30-day no obligation free trial for every complex. Go ahead and register your complex and see how you can manage your complex more easily, efficiently, and effectively.

Every Apartment Owners Association has a permanent headache: The Right Apartment Security Agency.

Finding the  right apartment security agency for your community is very important, as proper security is one of the primary concerns that people look into, when moving into an apartment complex. Apartments are relatively safe to live in, as people reside well within accessible distances from each other, but adequate security measures should always be taken in order to avoid any slip ups or mishaps.

There are many facets involved in filtering out the best apartment security agency, and these are quite easy to follow and implement. Once you properly list out and analyze your expectations from an apartment security agency, you will well be on your way to finding the right one.

Looking for a security agency to gaurd your apartment complex?
Check out supplier database from ApnaComplex and request for quotations from multiple security agencies at the click of a button.

#1- Proper Background Check

Every Apartment Association must think of the security guard as an extended member of the apartment community. Wouldn’t you like to trust your security with someone who is well qualified, with all the necessary credentials?

This is why an apartment owner’s association needs to do a routine and comprehensive background check on every applicant. While contracting security guards, make sure you keep an eye out for off duty policemen, because they’ll have a lot of experience in the field. It is important to have security guards on the rolls, who have prior experience doing night duty, patrolling and log maintenance.

Go through their profiles; see the amount of experience they have garnered over the years, see how adept they are at tackling tricky situations and hire them based on all these points. You can ask the security agency to do this for you, but you’ll need to follow up with them regularly. If the agency does not have these profiles or make them available to the Apartment Association, then it is definitely advisable to move to the next agency.

#2 – The Importance Of Effective Equipment

An apartment security agency will provide all guards with a pager, but this will hardly be effective in helping the guard take immediate action.

You’ll need to include a section in the contract demanding that all guards from the agency should be properly equipped with radios, cell phones, flashlights, notebooks, pens (tactical or combat ones) and vehicles. Providing the security guard with a list of emergency contacts and a phone line will also prove useful. Dress code and attire/uniform is also extremely important. Security guards need to have an aura of confidence and authority, and shabby people do not exude that, however big their moustaches may be.

This will make things a lot easier for the guard supervisor in an emergency situation, but increase confidence and bring relief to the welfare association and the residential community as well. 

 

#3 – Maintaining A Log

Asking your guard to maintain a log of his activities is a very good way of keeping track of your guard’s productivity. This should be properly and clearly mentioned in the contract as mandatory.

Anyone can maintain a log in a generic way, writing abrupt entries like:

“10 PM to 11 PM – Roads are clean. No sign of trouble.”

This should be avoided as far as possible. Entries like these will hardly help you keep track of what your guard’s been up to. Mention in the contract that the entries in a log should be more detailed. A sample would be:

10 PM: Checked the south-side gate, generator room, swimming pool entrance and toilets. All locks intact.

10.10 PM: A black Maruti, Number plate: XYZ has been allowed into the complex, heading up towards Block C. Signed an entry to meet Mr. Kishore, apartment no. 392. Sent two security personnel to escort him to Mr. Kishore’s apartment. Awaiting response and confirmation from guards via walkie talkie from Apartment 392, C Block.

Entries likes these will help during a post mortem analysis too, if there’s been a problem and all instances and clues need to be brought onboard.

#4 – Contract Issues

Apart from the above mentioned clauses in the contract, you will need to make sure that through the contract, the guard or the agency should be held responsible for any losses that occur due to negligence on his/their part. This will provide you with indemnity, and will make the guard take his role even more seriously. This will also increase the commitment of the agency involved.

Certain contracts may also have an indemnity clause that works in the favour of the security agency, so every apartment association keep an eye out for such lines.

Good security guards are a necessity for any apartment complex that touts of being a safe haven for its residents. Get the insights of every person from your apartment association while framing certain clauses of your contract, and once an agency has been selected, open all channels of communication between the residents and the guards in order to make things smoother and easier for both parties.

ApnaComplex Recommends: A Fire Drill for your Housing Complex

With the number of high-rises increasing by the day, fire accidents in apartment complexes have the potential to cause huge damage to life and property. Especially vulnerable are children and senior citizens who get caught in the chaos and are unable to save themselves. While residents of high-rises should be particularly careful, even housing societies with smaller buildings or bungalows cannot take fire lightly. It is thus the duty of each and every housing association to treat fire prevention and fighting as an essential part of their responsibilities.

What does this responsibility involve?

First and foremost, the society should ensure that all fire equipments are in working order and that they can be easily accessible. In addition, a housing association should take proactive steps to prevent fires, and in the worst case, minimize the loss to life in the eventuality of a fire. The best way to ensure that your society is equipped to respond to a fire emergency is by carrying out a fire drill at regular intervals.

Research show that close to 50% of people who die in fires were those who were trying to escape. A fire drill helps members develop an exit plan that could easily save precious lives. It teaches them to take control of the situation and follow a pre-prepared plan of action instead of panicking at the situation around them.

We at ApnaComplex recommend each and every housing association to carry out a Fire Drill in your society. This article aims to create awareness about the importance of a Fire Drill and the process of carrying out one.  

Carrying out a Fire Drill in your housing complex would involve the following three steps:

• Planning the fire drill
• Executing the plan
• Assessing the outcome

Planning:

• Fix a date and time for the drill that will suit everyone in the society. A good weekend or a public holiday will be preferable.
• Inform all the members of the housing society about the importance of the drill, as many might think it’s just a game.
• Plan how each member in every home will escape from their rooms, starting with the bedrooms. If possible, plan two escape routes from each house; incase the first route is blocked due to some reason. For instance, the second route may be to go out a window, or stand at a window where firefighters can see the member.
• No excuses should be allowed for not participating.  Everyone must leave the building during the drill period. Even babysitters, frequent visitors or overnight guests should be included.
• Decide where every member will meet once they are outside.
• Ask residents to lock their doors as usual while running out of their home during the drill.
• Allocate two persons to coordinate the drill; one person for creating the smoke to blow the fire alarm and the other person to keep track of the time taken by each family to arrive at the meeting point.
• Make a list of all the family members present in each family so that it would be easy to track the exit of all the members of the society.

Executing:

• At the determined time, ask one of the coordinators to create a smoke by lighting an incense-stick or some paper near any of the smoke sensors. The objective is to start the fire alarm in the building.
• Once the alarm sounds, everybody in their homes should proceed promptly to the outside of the building by means of the nearest exit. Ensure that everyone reaches the desired meeting point within 3-4 minutes. If some people are unable to do so, make them do the drill again.
• Ensure everyone in each household can open all doors and windows.
• All members should proceed to the designated meeting place outside.
• Once all people have reached the meeting place, reset the building alarm system.
• Notify the building occupants that they can return to the building by giving the “all clear” signal.

Assessing:

• Document every fire drill carried out and note the frequent problems faced. Seek the help of the nearby fire station for solutions.
• Share this document with all the members of the society within 48 hours. Discuss the problems and solutions in details.
• Put a timeline for the necessary actions to be carried and note its effectiveness during the next fire drill.

Looking for a Fire Safety Equipment and Maintenance Supplier for your complex?
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Good habits to follow:

• Test your smoke alarm once a month. Change standard batteries twice a year.
• Carry out a fire drill at least twice a year.
• Ensure that parking is not allowed near fire hydrants and that there is enough space for a fire truck to enter the society premises in case of an emergency.
• In a real fire, get out and stay out. Then call the emergency fire brigade number. Do not go back into the building until it has been cleared by the fire brigade.
• Residents can have windows with security bars that have an emergency release devices so they can be opened easily from the inside.

Taking adequate precautions and sincerely participating in Fire Drills can benefit everyone involved. If your housing association is planning to carry out a Fire Drill for the first time then do take the services of an expert who can guide you about it in a step-by-step manner. Also inform your nearest fire station about the exercise and seek any additional help in terms of information or personnel during the event.

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This article aims at collating and providing a ready to use guideline for benefit of ApnaComplex customers and blog readers. While ApnaComplex has taken every care to ensure the information is accurate, we suggest to please use the information in the article as a guidance and do your own due diligence before any fire drill. If you need professional advice on this topic and any other property related matters, please send your request through our contact us form.

Managing the affairs of an apartment complex is not just the responsibility of the Managing Committee. Surprised? Don’t be. Just as the quality of your family life depends on the behaviour of all members of the family, the quality of life you enjoy in your complex and the manner in which it gets maintained depends a lot on how you interact with the committee and the rest of the members. We list below a few such interactions which can well decide how well your society functions.

Breach of bye-laws

It is not unusual for members to have some disagreements with the Managing Committee. Usually such disagreements are resolved amicably over a period of time. But sometimes a member decides to respond to a perceived negative action on the part of f the Managing Committee with their own illegal actions. They feel it’s the best way to get back at the Committee and have a resolution in their favour. Some deliberately breach a bye-law or stop paying their maintenance charges to the society.

Members should realize that breaking a bye-law or withholding payment of maintenance is not the legal way of complaining against the Managing Committee. They should get their complaint addressed by the competent authorities as per the bye law. If they withhold their dues to the society, the Managing Committee can issue a showcase notice to them apart from instructing the authorities to impose severe penalties on the member. Members should realize that no matter what the provocation, the society needs funds to run smoothly. And by holding back on their payments they are harming their own interests.

Unauthorized constructions

Just because members have paid for their flats and apartments doesn’t give them the right to do anything they wish within their premises. The way they behave and conduct themselves has an affect on the lives of other members of the complex. This is especially true for constructions and renovations that members carry out in their flats or outside. Members should check with the society if the construction activity they plan to carry out is within the rules of the society. If they are planning to renovate their apartment and it involves some amount of construction activity then do get the consent from the Secretary of your Managing Committee in writing. Make sure that any changes done will not inconvenience the flat owners staying below in the form of leakages or loud noises for an extended period of time. Plan ahead on where the debris will be dumped. If any member feels that a particular construction activity is affecting their lives they have every right to complain and seek redressal.

While members breaking down pillars and altering parts of the building’s fundamental structure are quite common there have also been instances when a group of members have built a temple or a club within the premises without taking the society’s approval. Any such activity is illegal and can be dealt swiftly by the society. In such a situation the Managing Committee can inform the municipal corporation which can take immediate and punitive actions against those members and the construction that has been carried out. 

Asking for favors from the Managing Committee

Some members might be close friends to managing committee and thus might tend to ask for a favor – like waive off that penalty charge for late payment, or reduce the club house rent for your function. This would be a huge dis-favor to the rest of the community. This puts the managing committee members in a delicate situation where they would be forced to chose between the friendship or performing thier role. Do avoid asking for a favor and just abide by the by-law.

Common Property

The society has a major say about common areas like the terrace, gardens, etc. For example, the society may disallow members from installing TV or personal dish cable antennas on the terrace as it could damage the wall or the terrace leading to leakages. In such a situation, the member can request the society to consider putting a common antenna that could be used by all residents of the society. Similarly, residents putting potted plants in their balconies could lead to water dripping and thus dirtying the outside wall. Sometimes the watering is done in such a manner that it falls into the balconies of the member who stays directly below. In both cases, the society can raise an objection to this and make the member remove or alter the manner in which the plants are taken care of.

Pets

Many people love to keep pets. Unfortunately, apartment complexes are not always the best environment for pets as it may sometimes inconvenience other members. Those members who’d like to keep pets should therefore try to understand the reason for any objections that may be raised by fellow-members and address it in the best way possible. They should remember that everyone who complains about pets should not be automatically categorized as animal haters. The members who complain may have genuine concerns which need to be addressed.

What pet owners should be aware is that banning licensed pets from an apartment complex is not legally valid. But they should also not misuse this right to let their pets cause a nuisance and dirty the common areas of the society. While showing their commitment to their pet they should also show respect to the concerns of other residents. Some simple steps include cleaning any littering that is caused and always keeping the pet on a leash so that you are able to control your pet when required. Managing Committees should realize that although the society can frame certain restrictions, they cannot curtail the fundamental rights of the members and any resolution that is seen as discriminatory can be challenged in a co-operative court. 

Participating in society meetings and elections

The middle class and the upper middle class are infamous for their aversion to participating in any kind of elections – whether state or national-level. This antipathy gets extended to their society meetings and elections as well. There are many instances of members unwilling to accept any responsibility in running the affairs of the society but demanding that the Managing Committee is available at their beck and call. They may also skip attending meetings on crucial topics due to personal commitments and then blame those who took the decision for any untoward result that occurs.

Every member should realize that it is their duty to be present in as many meetings as possible so that they can make their point heard and influence the decision-making. Their commitment to the affairs of the society doesn’t end with just giving a cheque for the monthly maintenance. They have to work with every other member to make the society run as efficiently as possible. To make this possible they should also be willing to put up their hands and share any skills they may have when the need arises.

These are just a few of the areas in which the behaviour of the members can decide how efficiently an apartment complex gets managed. We hope you are playing a proactive role in the affairs of your apartment complex – whether you are part of the Managing Committee or not!

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