Housing Society News Archives | ApnaComplex Blog

ApnaComplex
November 24, 2016

Occupancy Certificate and Partial Occupancy Certificate – All you need to know

When one purchases property to move into, or for investment purposes, its pros and cons come along with it. Formalities need to be completed and documents, such as an occupancy certificate or a partial occupancy certificate, need to be procured before one transports their belongings all the way across the country or hires movers to move them from the opposite building. These two documents are just as important as the rest, if not more.

On completion of a building / project, the builder must apply for OC to the local authority in charge. An occupancy certificate is issued to him, stating that the residences in the buildings constructed by him are fitted with all the facilities and utilities as promised at the time of construction. This means that the premises are fit for occupancy.

But when does the need for a partial occupancy certificate arise?

A partial occupancy certificate comes into the picture when there are blocks or phases of large projects to be developed with varying completion dates. When the construction of one phase is completed, the concerned authority grants a Partial OC to the builder after thorough inspection of the building. Similarly, phases that are completed after that are given a Partial OC as well.

A Partial OC is replaced by a consolidated document called the OC (Occupancy Certificate) stating that the entire project has reached its completion point and is now deemed fit for occupancy. All the Partial OCs for that particular project become invalid once the Final OC has been granted. Until then, they act as the OC for that particular phase. The concept of Partial OC has always existed but it is becoming increasingly significant nowadays, since townships and other residential areas are being built in phases.

An OC and a Partial OC certify compliance to –

Fire Service Department
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Pollution Control Board (including Sewage Treatment Plant)
Forest Department
Parking regulations
Electricity Board (including elevators)
Waste Disposal and Management facilities
Rainwater harvesting facilities
Airports Authority clearance, if the project is within the range of an airport

How does an OC come into the picture at the time of redevelopment?

If there is redevelopment taking place or there are additional floors to be built, the developer obtains a Partial OC for every flat on every floor that is constructed and ready for possession. This Partial OC is also replaced by a final OC at the time of completion of project. If, for whatever reason, the project has not been completed or was unable to be finished within the specified duration or permissible time limit, construction should be stopped. After that, an inspection will follow, based on which a final OC will be granted to the residents.

Importance of OC and Partial Occupancy Certificate:

Legal and immediate possession of a flat is valid only if there is the OC or Partial OC to show for it.
Builders cannot hand over flats to buyers without receiving the OC from the concerned authority in charge.
Without an OC, buyers / owners are not eligible for any insurance or compensation claims.
Possession of a Partial OC lets one apply for sanitary, water and electricity connections. Even if these facilities have been made available without an OC, they are liable to get disconnected.
OC is generally required to get a home loan sanctioned by a financial institution. With a Partial OC, one may not get an approval for their home loan.
Application for Partial OCs and OCs need to be submitted within 30 days of completion of the project / phase. The local authority, in turn, must respond within 30 days of receipt of the application, providing an acceptance or rejection and reasons for the same. The OC is a necessity when one wishes to sell their flat.
An OC or Partial OC tells you about the extent of deviation from the sanctioned plan and acts as an assurance to its regularisation, if the violations are within 5 percent of –
(1) the setback that is to be provided around the building
(2) plot coverage
(3) floor area ratio
(4) height of the building.
The deviations are regularised after the modified plan is approved by the authority in charge.

If you have purchased a flat that is under the phased development plan, insist on getting a Partial OC. This is valid until the project is under construction. Then make sure you replace it with an OC once it is completed. Keeping these important documents safe and available whenever they are required is of utmost importance. These are synonymous with other necessary compliance that ensures the safety of the flat and the quality of facilities that are being provided. The amenities and services that a flat owner receives must live up to the quality that was promised by the builder. Getting an OC / Partial OC helps to acknowledge this.

Thoughts and comments

If you have any thoughts on the partial occupancy certificate, please do share them with us by commenting below.

Visit http://www.apnacomplex.com for more.

ApnaComplex
June 24, 2015

Why Chartered Accountants prefer ApnaComplex for housing society accounting?

Presently, the number of apartment complexes in India is growing exponentially. With the growing number of apartment sizes, management committees are looking for some active help from chartered accountants or auditing firms to manage their accounting operations. This scenario offers a huge potential to accountants to grow their business.

Earlier, chartered accountants were using offline software like Tally etc. to manage the accounting operations of housing societies, which made it hard for them to manage multiple housing societies all at the same time. With the growing housing society accounting requirements, accountants have felt the need for a software that helps them reduce their manual work and allows them to login and work from anywhere and everywhere reducing their travel time.

ApnaComplex, a mobile and web-based apartment management and accounting software is a one-stop-solution for all housing society requirements. The software is now increasingly being trusted by chartered accountants (CAs) across India as their technology partner for offering premium service. In this digital era, CAs have quickly understood that by adopting ApnaComplex they can achieve multi-fold growth in their business along with reducing their manual work.

Top reasons why Chartered Accountants prefer ApnaComplex over other software:

• Best accounting software across India – ApnaComplex offers online services, with self- service options, integrated with emails, SMS and online payments providing a clear edge over other players.
• Helps in saving costs – The accounting software helps in reducing society accounting work effort drastically and automates a lot of accounting processes. Even non-accountants can be employed for data-entry and the self-service option for residents in the software really helps.
• Supports in growing business – Not only do the accountants use ApnaComplex for their existing customers but also acquire customers referred by ApnaComplex. As a result, the customer base of accountants grows in size.
• Offers convenience to work from anywhere and everywhere – ApnaComplex accounting software enables accountants to enter and access data from anywhere. One does not need to carry all data to a centralized location. Moreover, multiple people can work on entering data of same society in parallel further speeding up the work.
• Provides training and support – ApnaComplex offers regular training and support to the CAs on the product and conducts periodic refresher courses, which makes it very simple for the accountants to quickly become a pro in using the software.

Why ApnaComplex accounting software is found to be especially designed for housing society accounting?

ApnaComplex automates the following housing society requirements for the accountants and management associations, making their work way easier:

• Offers readymade flat-wise, head-wise sub-ledger
• Automates unit-wise due generation (Automated Maintenance Payment Reminders – Online Payment facility with automatic updation of all books)
• Provides flat-wise account statement (Distribution of invoices/receipts as PDF files through emails, summary through SMS)
• Automates calculation of late payment interest
• Automates allocation of collection to invoices
• Generates reports

Why as a Chartered Accountant you should partner with ApnaComplex if you still haven’t done it?

Opportunity to acquire new business – With the growing number of apartment complexes adopting ApnaComplex certainly increases your scope to expand your business.
Increase Customer Satisfaction – By partnering with ApnaComplex, you definitely get happier customers as you are empowered to offer smart accounting services with minimal errors always on time.
Gain Competitive Advantage – You can offer the best-in class value add services, which is unmatched in the market to your customers by collaborating with ApnaComplex.
Save on costs – ApnaComplex helps you reduce your manual efforts and even use unskilled workforce to operate the software. Yes, it’s that simple to use! It helps you reduce your costs drastically.

So, partner with ApnaComplex today to create synergy and get powered with technology to offer superior accounting services and maximize your revenue.

Don’t just be a complex, be a smart apartment complex. Get your Society on ApnaComplex.com – Today for free!

Leave a comment InApartment Accounting Software Housing Society News Product News Society Accounting Software

ApnaComplex
June 17, 2015

Bangalore residents may have to bear property tax on common areas

BBMP (Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike) has proposed a plan to charge property tax on the common areas in commercial and apartment complexes. The common areas will include all facilities such as playground, parking space, garden, gym, pool or lobby. As a result, it really doesn’t matter if the common area is owned by an individual or an apartment association, the owner has to pay the tax.

BBMP is expected to start charging this tax only after one or two years as it wants to conduct an extensive survey of properties in Bangalore.The agency is expecting at least a 30% hike in its revenue stream with this drive.

Sources from BBMP revealed that even club houses will be treated as any other commercial building and will be taxed in the same manner the way any supermarket or a mall is charged for property tax.

It has come to BBMP’s notice that presently apartment owners are paying property tax only based on carpet area (actual usable area) and not paying any tax for the common areas.BBMP expects a significant boost in its revenue stream if the proposed plan is approved and the residents start paying for common area as well.

The apartment owners are not taking this proposed plan well. An apartment owner from Sarjapur revealed – “Why should I pay additional property tax on common area? I am already being burdened with apartment maintenance charges and property tax on carpet area. BBMP should think of the resident welfare before proposing such plans”.

BBMP is currently also studying how the tax on common areas is being charged in other metropolitan cities, sources added.

From your kids playing in the park to you working out in the gym , everything just may get attached with a higher price!

Source: Deccan Herald

Leave a comment InHousing Society News News & Trends

ApnaComplex
June 17, 2015

Code of Conduct for Management Committee Members of a Housing Society

Management Committee (MC) of a housing society/apartment complex is essentially the backbone of an apartment complex. The activities performed by the managing committee members determines the residents’ quality of life up to a great extent. The committee members shoulder a great responsibility to offer a superior experience to residents staying in an apartment. For smooth operations of an apartment and to fulfill one’s responsibility as a management committee member, a certain code of conduct needs to be followed.

Most people take up the job of a management committee member more as a voluntary service for their apartment. Moreover, there is no formal induction done for easing the first-time committee members into the job. The code of conduct given below will help all existing and newly formed management committee set a standard and a certain level of expectations among all committee members.

General Code of Conduct:

As a management committee member of a housing society, these are the general code of conduct that needs to be followed:

Act with Integrity and Honesty

Transparency and openness in apartment dealings is essential
Never misuse your MC position and power. Use it responsibly
Earn and sustain housing society’s trust

Execute with Thoroughness & Due Care in Financial Operations

Ensure availability of relevant information
Make adequate enquiries
Understand strategic, financial & other decisions implications

Put Society’s Best Interest Forward

Be accountable for actions taken by you
Take responsibility for your decisions
Activities that bring disrepute to the society should be avoided

Act Impartially, Fairly and in Good Faith

Self-interest, impulse, discrimination and bias should be avoided
Act in a polite manner and be respectful towards others

Appropriate Information Usage

Information collected as a committee member is expected to be used in a proper manner. The right discretion should be used while disclosing or keeping a particular piece of information confidential.
Comply with privacy obligations in dealing with any kind of personal information you gain as a management committee member.

Use your Managing Committee Member Position Appropriately

Never take undue advantage of your managing committee member position for yourself, friends or family.
Never use your position for causing damage to Society.
Decline favors or gifts that may influence your independent judgement as a managing committee member.

Compliance with Society Byelaws

Go through Society byelaws carefully and adhere to the society rules.
Understand the jurisdiction of the power given to you and act accordingly.

Code of Conduct for Management Committee Meetings:

The single measurement unit of how effective a management committee is the number of meetings a committee conducts in a year to discuss the welfare of an apartment and residents. The ideal number of meetings that an apartment committee should conduct is expected to at least be somewhere in between 50-54 meetings in a year.

However, very few apartment management committees meet in a regularly and orderly fashion. Most of the apartment meetings get cancelled frequently. If they do happen, they never start or end on time. Some of the ground rules given below should help and most of these would work and be helpful for management committee of any apartment size:

Try to attend every meeting.
Give advance notice to President/Chairman in case you are unable to attend meeting.
Come prepared for the meeting – read agenda, emails or any important documents.
Switch off your mobile phone during the meeting.
Respect difference of opinion during the meeting and always respect others decisions.
Speak politely and do not indulge in heated arguments.
Engage in constructive and healthy discussions.
Accept any decisions that win majority votes even if you personally disagree with the same.
Speak only when it’s your turn and listen carefully when others speak.
Treat other management committee members with respect and ensure no behavior should be interpreted as bullying, harassment or discrimination.
Make positive contributions to discussions.
Avoid long speeches and be concise.
Always be respectful towards the committee chair and adhere to the ruling provided by the same.

Code of Conduct while dealing with Society employees or Contractors:

Treat vendors and staff of the society with respect.
In case, as a management committee member you have a concern about conduct of any staff member, you should contact relevant management committee member in-charge and try to informally resolve the problem.
Put up formal complaints at MC meetings instead of getting involved in heated arguments with staff.

Try to follow the above mentioned code of conduct and put society’s best interest forward for contributing significantly in building a healthy community.

Don’t just be a complex, be a smart apartment complex. Get your Society on ApnaComplex.com – Today for free!

2 Comments InHousing Society News News & Trends

ApnaComplex
June 1, 2015

Plan your power cuts this summer!

How many times does the power cut happen just when you are planning to do some important work? Earlier, all one could do was wish that someone would have given prior information before the power cut so that one could plan accordingly.

Noida Power Company Limited (NPCL) is making this wish come true for Noida residents who have now almost resigned to the erratic and long power cuts in the city. For making the situation better, NPCL has decided to send SMS alerts before every power cut. The SMS will be sent out irrespective of any power failure reason. So, whether the power is cut due to distribution transformer breakdown, supply shortage, maintenance work or fault in transmission wires SMS will be sent out compulsorily.

NPCL holding franchise for distributing power in Noida and Greater Noida will now send text messages before every power cut. However, the text messages will not be sent directly to the residents. The Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) officials of various sectors in Noida region will receive the messages, who will then forward it to the residents.

RWA officials of different sectors had demanded this facility of prior information to be given before power cuts due to frequent power cuts and rising temperature. Some of the common problems that the RWAs were facing due to power cuts was shortage of water since one cannot run water pumps with inverter. If one knows in advance that there will be a power cut of 4 hours in the peak morning hours, one can be prepared and fill in all the required water tanks in the evening so that there is no problem in the morning. Secondly, for the apartments that use generators with diesel for providing 24*7 back-up power facility to residents, can ensure that there is enough diesel in stock for running the generator continuously. Such small measures can really give comfort to the residents.

So, from now on Noida residents can plan their power cuts. Students can finish their homework and studies before the light goes out. Ladies can complete their cooking and housework before the power cut. People carrying official work home can spend extra hours in office based on the power cut schedule. When the residents know there is going to be a power cut in advance, everyone can finish their priority work in advance and no one has to make do with slow running fan of an inverter.

Now enjoy your power cuts by going to an AC mall or plan your day in office based on the power cuts because this summer NPCL just reduced your power cut heartburn by at least 30% by sending the text messages with power cut information in advance.

This initiative is a very good initiative taken up by the Noida RWA. The same initiative should be replicated in other cities as well.

Source: Times of India

Leave a comment InHousing Society News News & Trends

ApnaComplex
May 27, 2015

Dos and Don’ts to beat the heatwave this summer

The death toll in the heatwave sweeping India has passed 1,000, with temperatures nearing 50 degree Celsius in some areas. Most deaths have taken place in the southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, where the death toll has risen to more than 800. Hospitals are on alert to treat heatstroke patients and authorities have advised people to stay indoors.

However, not everyone can stay indoors during the heatwave and for some there is no respite from the heat. Keep in mind the below dos and don’ts and also inform others how to tackle the scorching heat this summer:

Dos during a heatwave:

Drink water and oral hydration drinks in every 1-2 hours
Always use an umbrella or wear a hat while going out in the sun
Try to wear shades to protect your eyes from getting red
Apply sunscreen to protect your skin while going out
Wear light and cool clothes
Take breaks and rest in a shady spot if you are pursuing an outdoor job
Wash your face in every 2 hours and place a wet cool cloth on your head to cool off
Ensure you complete your daily chores like vegetable shopping etc. in the evening
Bathing twice a day is advisable
Check on your elderly family, neighbours and domestic help and ensure they are following measures to beat the heat
Recognise the signs of heat stroke, heat rash or heat cramps such as weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, sweating and seizures.
Go to a doctor immediately if any of the above symptom prevails for more than a day

Don’ts during a heatwave:

Try to avoid going out in the direct sun
Avoid any form of extensive physical activity
Do not allow children to play in the park during peak heat hours
Do not leave children/pet in the car with closed windows
Avoid consuming caffeinated drinks (like aerated drinks) and alcohol during extreme heat
Avoid wearing dark, heavy or tight clothing
Avoid cooking during peak heat hours. If you must cook, open doors and windows to ventilate the cooking area adequately.
Avoid heavy and oily food, try to consume easily digestible food
Don’t wait for power cuts to buy an emergency fan, buy it already and keep it handy
Avoid reaching the dehydration stage, keep yourself hydrated and drink loads of water

The temperature is expected to come down in a few days but till then follow the above measures to protect yourself and your loved ones from the deadly heat this summer!

1 Comment InHousing Society News News & Trends Product News

ApnaComplex
May 25, 2015

Smart Plans for Easy Home Loan Repayment

Presently, banks and companies financing home loans are offering several customized payment options to suit various loan requirements of customers. While some options offer flexibility in repaying the loan, others are linked to various house construction stages. Moreover, some of these plans increase the capacity of the borrower to repay the loan along with giving some tax benefits.

There is an array of repayment plans available in the market presently, which borrowers need to analyse before taking a decision to take a loan as per his/her requirement. Let’s have a look at some of the major house loan repayment plans:

Step-Up Repayment Loan:

In this particular plan, the monetary growth of a borrower is directly linked with the repayment. This particular plan enables a borrower to take a higher loan amount in comparison to other taking a regular house loan.

This scheme is mainly useful for young people buying a house since it is expected that one’s income keeps increasing with age and seniority in his career. As a result, people pay lower EMIs in initial years by adjusting the loan as per their requirement and even after the EMI increases avail the same tax benefits.

Balloon Repayment Plan:

This plan is similar to the step-up repayment plan. In this option, one can start with paying very small instalment amounts in the starting of the loan term. In the subsequent years, the instalment amount commences to balloon up leading to a higher amount than normal-step up option.

Step- Down Repayment Plan:

This plan is mainly suitable for people who take a loan at an older age, probably senior citizens and people about to be retired in 1-2 years. In this plan the EMIs are higher in the starting years and then decreases in the subsequent years. This plan keeps in mind that loan repayment capacity reduces at a later stage due to reduced income and lower loan repayment helps keeping finances in control.

Tranche-Based Repayment Plan:

This repayment plan is essentially suitable for people buying property under-construction. Mostly, a borrower has to pay interest on the home loan based on the construction stage of the project till the project completion stage. This particular plan helps borrowers save on interest and is offered by a few banks and lenders. As per the capability of the borrower to pay interest, the instalments can be fixed for paying to the bank till the property is ready for possession. The minimum amount payable is the interest on the total loan amount. Any amount over this fixed amount goes towards the principle. This way the borrower saves on the tenure of the loan by repaying the loan faster.

Flexible and Fixed Instalment Plan:

Flexible Instalment Plan – In this plan, in the initial years one has to pay a higher EMI but it decreases gradually in the subsequent years. This plan is good option for parents wishing to buy houses for their children. The parents can plan the loan in such a way that in the subsequent years when one retires or is unable to repay the loan anymore, the children can take over the loan and start repaying the same.

Fixed Instalment Plan – In this plan, for a certain period the EMI remains fixed, after which it gets adjusted as per the market rate. In the fixed tenure, the market conditions are unable to fluctuate the fixed rate. When the interest rates are expected to increase, fixed instalment plan benefits the borrowers. However, one needs to be careful about the loan opted, as many lenders keep a provision of swelling the fixed amount in their agreement.

Accelerated Repayment Plan:

In this particular plan, EMI amount can be increased as and when the borrowers have surplus money or as the disposable income increases. Another highly chosen option is to pay a lump sum amount to repay the loan. This enables one to repay the loan faster and helps in tax saving as well.

Although various banks and lenders offer you multiple loan options to choose from, it is good to do some research before choosing a loan option. Moreover, it is very important to carefully and patiently check the clauses banks/lenders have mentioned in their repayment plan agreement. Talking to existing customers of the loan will give you a fair idea of how easily you will be able to cope up with the loan against your present income.

Source: Economic Times

Leave a comment InHousing Society News News & Trends

ApnaComplex
May 14, 2015

Are you utilizing the green waste?

Mulching or composting of green waste absolutely requires no investment. However, municipal corporations in Delhi/NCR and residents in Noida find it difficult to use this method to dispose the green waste. Moreover, even after National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a complete ban on burning of waste in the open and announced a fine of Rs.5,000 for its violation, many residents are still flouting this rule and following the burning of waste method rather than adopting the composting method for green waste disposal causing huge amount of air pollution.

Let’s try to understand the mulching and composting of dry waste method better:

What is green waste?

Green waste is essentially organic waste such as dry leaves collected from roadside and parks and fresh kitchen waste.

What is mulching?

Mulch is any type of material that is spread over the soil surface (around plants as well) to act as covering. Dry leaves in shredded form can be used as mulch. Mulch breaks down overtime and turns into compost.

What is composting?

Composting is a simple process of allowing organic waste, especially fresh kitchen waste and dry leaves to rot and then stabilize the organic matter under limited controls. In this process, mainly bacteria and fungi convert rich organic matter into humus. The pulverized waste is added into pit and each bed takes about 2-3 months to turn the entire waste into compost.

Procedure to compost leaves:

Step1: Collect the dried leaves in a bag.

Step 2: Add them in layers in any large aerated container like wire mesh enclosure and sprinkle water on the layers to make the pile wet but not saturated.

Step 3: Add some fresh green lawn clipping or waste food in between the pile to ensure composting is happening.

Step 4: Also add compost accelerator like cow dung or any other organic accelerator.

Step 5: Turn the pile once in 2 months to ensure composting is happening properly.

Step 6: After 12 months the leaves would have decomposed fully and the compost would be ready to be added to your garden for healthy plants.

Composting Success Story:

The Defence Colony RWA in Delhi in has managed to compost their organic and green waste in simple pits dug out in a park. They have about eight pits where organic waste, along with dry leaves and other green waste, is dumped. The compost is so good that they are selling it to residents. They have also hired a couple of waste pickers and gardeners. Their pits currently compost green and other organic waste from 1,600 homes.

The question that arises is if RWAs are able to successfully launch the composting method for green waste disposal, why are the municipal corporations not able to do it? All the corporations need to do is to allot an assignment to someone to create composting pits, starting with 2 in each park wherein the dry leaves can be mulched and turned into compost.

Some of the waste management experts also recommend hiring informal waste workers in gathering green waste from each colony. They can be given a small space in the park to do the composting or overseeing the mulching process. It will be a source of employment for them and it will also ensure that the composting process is conducted in a proper manner against the nominal fee charged by the waste collectors or rag pickers.

About time we all think about our environment isn’t it?

Source: Times of India

Leave a comment InHousing Society News News & Trends

ApnaComplex
May 13, 2015

Is your apartment earthquake resistant?

With the earthquake once again hitting the Northern belt of India and creating mass destruction in Nepal, a very big question that comes in everyone’s mind is how earthquake resistant are apartments or individual houses? Is one safe in the current house or apartment one is staying currently?

Based on the frequency of earthquake occurrence and its intensity, India has been divided into various zones. These zones point at the seismic coefficient that are adopted for building design across the country.

The earthquake zones have been divided based on the subjective estimates available from tectonics and geologists in India.

The Northern belt and specifically Delhi/NCR lies in zone IV that has high seismicity wherein the earthquake that occurs is generally of 5-6 magnitude. The one that came yesterday, May 12, Tuesday was very high of about 7.3 magnitude in Nepal, which damaged the buildings up to a great extent. Delhi/NCR also got some major jolts from the earthquake. Moreover, it lies among the high-risk areas prone to earthquakes. The buildings in Delhi/NCR must be designed in such a way that they can at least resist earthquake of about 4.5 magnitudes on a Richter scale. However, are the buildings earthquake resistant? How do you check before buying an apartment or an individual house?

Before buying how to check whether a multi-storey flat will be earthquake resistant or not?

When you are buying a flat in a multi-storey building, it’s almost impossible for you to check whether you are buying a flat in an earthquake resistant building or not. So, mostly you have to just trust the builder’s take on this. As per experts, every flat cannot be tested whether it is earthquake resistant or not. However, the entire building can be tested for earthquake resistance. Get the building structural design from the builder and ask the experts to check the same. In case, approved you can go ahead with your buying process. However, ensure the builder uses quality construction material.

Before buying a plot how to check whether the house built on a plot will be earthquake resistant or not?

If you are planning to buy a plot to build a house on the same, you have a golden chance to make your house earthquake resistant. The most important in this case, would be soil testing as it will typically, indicate how much weight the soil would be able to bear, clearly pointing to the number of floors that can be built on the land. Essentially, it would help you measure the “weight bearing capacity” of the soil.

These days frame structure is used as an alternative to the load-bearing structure for building houses resistant to earth quakes. As a result, the entire building is grounded on a column, which is placed 2 ½ meters under the ground. Moreover, it is essential to insert beam in floor and lintel level, top level and windows in side level. The bars in the column should be minimum 12 mm thick with about 900/900 foundation.

Who can help you do the soil testing?

There are quite a few private and semi-government agencies that do soil testing. This task is also performed by autonomous insurance surveyors. Some of the answers you would get from soil testing –

How much per-square centimeter load can the soil afford?
Is the house construction possible on the soil type?
Accurate ratio of weight bearing capacity and water level?

After testing and investigation, the Surveyor and Building Design Structural Department issue a clearance certificate. In case, any major damage is caused to the building the concerned department is bound to be held responsible for the same.

Ensure you make your house earthquake-resistant and full-proof yourself from the unexpected costs that may arise due to a major earthquake.

Leave a comment InHousing Society News News & Trends Real Estate News

ApnaComplex
April 20, 2015

Online petition against high security deposits charged from tenants in Bengaluru

Landlords demanding for a 10-months to 1-year security deposit from prospective tenants is quite a common norm in Bengaluru. This practice is often quite shocking for young professionals migrating from other cities to Bangalore since this trend is still not very prevalent in other major Indian cities.

Fresh college graduates who have just joined a job at times have no other option than to borrow money from friends and family. Even though the security deposit is quite exorbitant, most of the tenants have no other option than paying the same.

Rachelle Chandran from Bengaluru has filed an online petition in March protesting against the very high security deposits demanded by the landlords in Bengaluru. She has demanded for implementation of uniform rent law across Bengaluru for security deposits.

It’s a common practice to ask for a high security deposits from tenants and the full amount not being returned by landlords. The owner has the right to deduct security deposits by mentioning random maintenance costs. This is a highly unfair practice and the petition demands an answer to the same.

The petition mentions the Model Tenancy Act 2011, which recommends a set of rules “to balance the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants” with other clauses to protect the tenants’ interest. Another suggestion mentioned in the petition is to reprimand a landlord who charges security deposit 3 times in excess of monthly rent.

The petition also demands for a “fast-track rent tribunal” to solve the issues between landlords and tenants and the ability of tenants to file FIR against landlords in case of any money fraud.

About 3,000 people have already signed the petition and are voicing their anguish while supporting the petition.

Although the petition is a great initiative and if action taken, it will help the tenants and save them from depositing a large sum of money in the name of security deposit, another fact cannot be left unnoticed that the rights of the landlords also need to be protected while making new laws as there are also situations wherein tenants refuse to pay for maintenance charges or repair work that occur due to their negligence! The amends to the law needs to a balanced one, protecting the interest of both the landlord and the tenants.

Source: The News Minute

Don’t just be a complex, be a smart apartment complex. Get your Society on ApnaComplex.com – Today for free!

Leave a comment InApartment Bangalore Housing Society Housing Society News News & Trends

Category Housing Society News

Thoughts and comments

If you have any thoughts on the partial occupancy certificate, please do share them with us by commenting below.

Visit http://www.apnacomplex.com for more.