Your Housing Problems & Solutions
Allotment of Parking
Q: Our society does not have designated parking spaces for two-wheeler vehicles. They have created parking spaces for two wheelers on payment of a nominal monthly charge. Society had agreed to parking of two or more such vehicles per flat, but on payment of higher parking charges for the second vehicle and exponential increase for a third vehicle. In the event, an owner with the first purchase of two-wheeler vehicle demands a parking space, can we request those with more than one parking space for their two-wheeler vehicles surrender their allotted slots?
A: Parking of the vehicles in a Co-operative Housing Society's open space is managed by Bye-laws 78 to 84, of the Bye-laws book of the year, 2014. These rules say, if there is a shortage of parking space, then each flat is allotted one vehicle each, (2 wheeler or 4 wheeler, each). There is no chance of allotting second parking space to a flat, if there is a shortage of parking space inside society's premises. For details, kindly read above seven Bye-laws for parking of vehicles inside the society's premises.
Designated Play Area for Children
Q: With urbanisation and clearing of open green spaces, children are inclined to play on open spaces within their compound walls. These open spaces are concrete with cars parked in the driveways. Evidently, some games like cricket and football can endanger the property and vehicles. Do you suggest that children and adults refrain from playing any kind of outdoor games, even an unhostile game as badminton; injuries can take place even to children and adults falling or slipping on concrete open spaces within the walls of the compound. Who is responsible for damage to the property and/or vehicles?
A: With availability of limited space for parking and for playing inside Co-operative Housing Society's land, there should not be playing of any type of games on society's open space. This is strictly my opinion in this matter.
Restrict Entry to Society
Q: There is often fair share of criticism in bringing children’s friends from the neighbourhood in playing with them. Can we restrict to only children and adults within the same housing society rather than make it open and free to all?
A: Under Bye-law No.168, General Body of the society can place restrictions on children's (even adult's) game in society's premises, but put restriction on outside society building's children, if it creates the nuisance to the residents of your society.Kindly bring the resolution in the minutes of General Body Meeting, as you desire to put restriction on outsider children's entry inside your society's premises.
Before you bring in such a resolution, kindly talk with adult residents of the society, to convince them of the nuisance caused by outsider children's entry in your society's premises. Such resolution should be signed by 25 per cent of the members of the society, to take it up in the agenda of the General Body meeting.If you meet several residents of your building and convince them individually before the General Body Meeting, it will help you to pass such a resolution by majority in society's general body meeting.If outside children play in open space of the Society and causing nuisance to the residents, then only you can bring in such a resolution.If outside society's children are coming to your society's building to play with their friends inside their friend's flat, without causing any nuisance to the residents of the society, then you cannot restrict the entry of outside society's children, as it violates the fundamental right of the children.
Leakage in Flat
Q: I own a flat on the 16th floor of a 17 floor building which was handed over by builder in May 2017. We have been facing seepage problems every year and the builder attempted to solve the problem in 2017-18. As the problem persists, builder's engineer has assured that they will rectify it. But this year flat owners have formed a housing society which is registered duly and I am a member of it . Kindly let me know if it is now the builder's responsibility to solve this problem of poor construction. A: As per Government Construction rules, leakage proof building is guaranteed for ten years, from the date OC of the building is obtained.Therefore, if leakage of your building is not rectified by the builder, then make a complaint against the builder to your Municipal Ward Office, to redress your building leakage complaint by the builder.If builder does not rectify your leakages, then said Municipality will not pass that builder's future new building plan, therefore be persuasive with your Municipality to take action on Builder, for your slab leakage.