All of us are busy with our daily life and tasks that we do not have time to attend residents association meetings and this is especially true if petty problems are on the meeting agenda. However, the residents need to attend these meetings and understand the housing society rules that apply to the community.
Understanding the residents association rules is very much important for all the residents of the community. The residents association and committee decide on the maintenance fee to be paid, provides No Objection Certificates if the resident wishes to rent out the flat, etc. There are many responsibilities for a residents association and the functions, activities, and power of the members of a residents association will be governed by rules.
All the residents association rules and regulations should adhere to the other laws that are in force in the region. A community can have its bye-laws, but these laws should not be contradictory to the Societies Registration Act of the state. For instance, flats in Kochi can have their bye-laws, but these laws should not be contradicting with the Societies Registration Act of the state of Kerala. Amendments can be done to these bylaws from time to time. Most of the residents association laws are flexible to amend them as per the convenience of the members and residents.
As a member of any residents association, you can enjoy the following rights.
Being a member of the residents association, you will have the right to inspect the book of accounts of the community at the time mentioned in the residents association laws. The member can view the profit and loss account, the annual balance sheet, and the books in which all the transactions of the residents association are registered.
Every unit of the housing society will have the right to vote in elections held inside the community. The vote will depend on the number of houses or flats, and not the number of families.
There will be different types of meetings in which the minutes will be recorded. If you have missed a particular meeting of the residents association, or like to know the exact happenings of a particular meeting, you can check out the minutes of the meetings. Likewise, you may also ask for the bye-laws.