Archives: December 8, 2018

Waste management always comes with a golden rule: reduce, reuse, recycle. At first, this feels like a daunting prospect, like an excessive amount of effort. But in reality, this can be achieved if the issue is targeted at the root: the household.

Living in an apartment complex means living in close proximity to other. So naturally, we need to stay mindful of maintaining clean surroundings to keep it from being an inconvenience.  

Waste management in the household

Enforce a segregation rule in all the units of your apartment complex. Have every household maintain one dustbin for wet waste and one for dry waste. Make sure that the waste is also collected separately. This makes the waste easier to dispose of. Emphasize the need to drain the waste of liquids before throwing it in the bins. The liquid in the waste creates a breeding ground for pests and allows rot to settle in faster.

Waste management in the society

Once the household is taken care of, cleanliness has to be maintained in the common areas of the society. The most effective technique is to hire cleaning crews to sweep and clear the litter. It is also imperative to reduce little. install clearly marked dustbins all over your complex. Place them in all the convenient locations and spread the news urging your residents to use them. Also, urge your residents to clean up after their pets. Pet excreta should be picked up by the owners and disposed of responsibly. Disposables used for any community event should also be biodegradable. Hold regular cleaning drives and educational sessions to ensure that both children and adults are regularly reminded of the importance of clean surroundings.

Waste Management in the long run

While immediate steps ensure waste management, you need to install mechanisms that make the job easier in the long run. Educate your residents of the importance of recycling paper and plastic waste. If possible hire a service to come to the complex to collect the recyclables. Plant plenty of trees in your society. Not only does this help clean the air of pollutants, but it also helps slowly replenish the soil while making your society look aesthetically pleasing. Also, ensure that the drainage system of your society is in good working condition. Waterlogging causes problems with mosquitos, flies and other pests. Lastly, consider installing a compost pit in your society. This can help you dispose of the biodegradables right within your society. The compost can be used as manure for your trees and gardens. Any surplus can be sold to bring a good revenue for your society.

There are plenty of other techniques and real-life examples of good waste management. You can use the ApnaComplex noticeboard feature to educate and notify all your residents. Sharing them with others can only help generate awareness and possibly action towards a cleaner India.

ApnaComplex is one among several available Apartment Management Apps. Our customers have many other options that provide similar services. But what makes ApnaComplex the most preferred apartment management service in India? Allow us to tell you:

Thought Leaders:

We believe in setting the benchmark for our field. Our innovation is nearly two years ahead of any other portal in Society Accounting and Social Management. We are the first to bring Society Management to the Smart Phone Generation. We introduced India’s first and only Collection Gateway for housing societies to solve the problem of NEFT reconciliations for every Housing Society. Using Collection Gateway residents can add the unique account number allocated to them as beneficiary and automate the monthly transfer of dues.

Super High Configurability:

Life in each apartment complex is different. The requirements and expectations from each one are unique to that complex. We understand this perfectly. As a consequence, our portal is super customizable. You can configure the plan to your requirements at prices that are pocket-friendly.

Data Security:

At ApnaComplex, we understand that cybersecurity is extremely important. Your personal information is kept extremely secure and access to it is limited. No information is divulged without your express permission. Beyond this, ApnaComplex is the first portal that offers secure browsing using SSL (Secure Socket Layer). Data Security is one of our primary aims.

Data Privacy:

ApnaComplex offers the most private portal in the industry. We do not bombard you to buy from various service providers to earn commissions. There are no ADs on either our portal or our App. We dislike ADs as much as you do.

Support for Federations:

ApnaComplex is the first portal that offers support for Federation of RWAs. Federation of RWAs can add member associations and easily communicate across all. Notices posted in Federation can reach all members of its member associations providing a unified platform for the entire neighborhood. This means that it is not just about your complex who can benefit- but about the entire neighborhood!

SMS to DND Numbers:

While we understand that residents don’t wish to receive constant notifications from the app, we also understand that certain messages are extremely important. So if a committee member decides that a certain message is too important to be missed, they have the option to send it even to those numbers registered under DND.

Easy to use:

ApnaComplex offers a “Complete Accounting Package” that can be used by Chartered Accountants and Treasurers with no accounting background with equal ease. In addition, ApnaComplex supports multiple roles like Accounting Admin, Accounting Assistant, Data Entry Operator, and Auditor to delegate accounting work. ApnaComplex Accounting is designed and developed by a team with real-life experience in social accounting as committee members and treasurers so we understand what you need.

Continuous Upgrades:

Despite having the most comprehensive set of features already, we are continuously working to enhance and update our services. Quite a few enhancements are the result of customer requests for new features. So, all our customers benefit from the collective wisdom of hundreds of societies. Also, this allows you to streamline the experience to your needs.

Excellent Support:

We strive to delight our customers, period. You have live chat, email-based support, phone-based support, online help, and manuals to take care of your needs.

ApnaComplex is dedicated to making the management of your apartment complex a well-oiled machine. For that, we believe that convenience is key. To bring this convenience to your apartment complex click here to create a free portal.

Managing Committees take note!

In our aim to serve you better, we have released new enhancements on ApnaComplex Accounting Module.

Penalty Calculation Engine:

The Apnacomplex Penalty Calculation Engine is a powerful tool that calculates penalties in case of late payments. It can be configured to support the rules against late payments in any society. However, the interplay of factors can often make it difficult to explain the final amount to the members. With our new enhancement, you can now view the detailed calculations by the engine. The user can simply click the link that is next to the penalty charge to receive a full statement. Admins can also access this during the process. The icon is available against each penalty calculation. When clicked, it opens a new window to show you the full break-up.

A new way of penalty calculation:

ApnaComplex has always supported factors like a fixed penalty or penalties based on outstanding dues. With the new enhancement, you can now charge penalties based on area (plot area, super built-up area or terrace area). This allows you more flexibility. Once you save the penalty scheme this option is also available for recurring invoices.

To experience this new option:

1. Please go to Income ->Member Income -> Penalty link
2. Here you can create a new penalty scheme. Identify the charge heads to which penalty becomes applicable.
3. In Penalty Type field – select “Per sqft” – update the penalty amount for defaulters / late paying units.
4. Update rest of the fields and save.
5. Run the same manually (or configure recurring invoice) to calculate penalty amounts that can be directly invoiced.

These enhancements are available at no additional cost with the new update. If you have any queries on the above, please contact us at support@apnacomplex.com

It’s that time of the year again. The whole country reverberates to the joy of celebrations over a five-day period. There’s music, food, light and an air of prosperity all around! Yes, we’ll soon be celebrating Diwali, the festival of light that marks the victory of good over evil.

Celebrated with great joy and festivities in most parts of India, it is marked by the lighting of lamps, crackers, exchange of greetings and gifts, buying gold, decorating of home and sharing sweets with family and friends.

Along with all the above, the festival of Diwali has also become associated with firecrackers that cause injuries and leave people with burns, loss of eyesight, damage to the ears and to property if adequate care is not taken. Every year, there is a significant number of burns and other injuries that are reported during the festival.

Dos and Don’ts:

It is therefore important that each one of us who is celebrating with firecrackers follow a few Dos and Don’ts to ensure that Diwali ends as a happy festival for one and all. If you are a member of the Managing Committee in your residential complex, make sure you list down your Dos and Don’ts so that every resident is aware of what they should and should not do to make it a festival that everyone enjoys.

We provide a list of Dos and Don’ts that you can use as it as is or as a guideline for your apartment complex. You can download the Diwali Do’s and Dont’s poster, print it and post it in your society notice board as is or under your official letterhead.

Designate areas to light firecrackers:

Another important thing that is mandatory in a gated community is to light firecrackers only in designated areas. Some people love to light crackers in their balconies or just outside their flat. This is a breach of fire safety and can lead to serious accidents. It is imperative that the designated spots for lighting firecrackers are clearly marked and the entire community adheres to it.

Firecrackers should not be lit in closed rooms or balconies of the buildings. They also shouldn’t be lit in an area covered with foliage. It is also important to make to make sure that a strict time limit is maintained. Nobody should be allowed to burst crackers beyond a predetermined hour. According to a recent order by the supreme court, this limit is until 10 pm.

Beyond crackers, make sure the open flames of the diyas are not a fire hazard. Make sure they are far away from curtains, open wires, electronics, plastic or paper decoration or any other flammable materials. Teach your children basic fire safety too. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

We offer here a template that your association can customize updating the designated timings, designated areas to light crackers and also update emergency contact numbers. You can share the notice with your residents, print the same on your society’s letterhead and put it up in all notice boards. Download the Diwali Notice template to customize it for your complex.

With a little bit of care and caution, Diwali can be enjoyed by one and all. Take that few additional steps to make sure that the festival leaves only pleasant memories for all involved. We wish you a very happy and safe Diwali!

The security guard is an extended member of the apartment community.  Finding the right apartment security agency for your community is very important. 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 be well on your way to finding the right one.

1. Background Checks

A comprehensive background check is extremely important while selecting a security candidate. Candidates need to be well trained with all the necessary certification. Look for those with prior experience, especially in night shifts, patrolling and log maintenance. Retired policemen also make excellent security candidates. Also, remember to look out for past performance records and any possible criminal history. The safest way to hire good security personnel is through a security agency. Ask them to provide the records of your preferred candidates and remember to follow-up regularly.

2. 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. Your contract needs to include a section demanding that all guards from the agency should be properly equipped with radios, cell phones, flashlights, notebooks, pens 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 are also extremely important.

3. Contractual Issues

It is important that the contract is drawn out carefully. The contract should make it clear that the guard and the agency will be held responsible for any damage due to negligence. Often security agencies include an indemnity clause in the contract that works in their favour. Read the contract carefully and keep an eye out for such hidden costs.

4. Log Maintenance

Log maintenance is an effective way to track the productivity of your security personnel. It should be included in your contract. The entries should be detailed and thorough. Instruct them to record everything; their patrol routes, the entry and exit of visitors or delivery agents, movement of items through the gate, etc. Not only is this helpful in case of an incident, but it also helps locate problems that may arise in the future and help avoid them.

Good security guards are a necessity for an 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. You can search through the ApnaComplex database of security agencies and find the one that meets your requirements.