5 Essential Funds in a Cooperative Housing Society
Like any other entity, a cooperative housing society also requires money to function and fulfill its main objective of providing housing over time. This money is necessary for paying taxes, providing utilities and services to all members, building long-term funds, and settling other expenses necessary to maintain a smooth functioning community.
In this article, we will focus on the essential funds created and maintained in a cooperative housing society for a myriad of purposes. Funds are a sum of money saved over time but expected to be spent on a specific purpose whenever the need arises. These funds are formed by accumulating amounts contributed by members time to time and must be utilized only for the intended purpose.
While a society can create as many funds as it desires for whatever purpose it deems essential, cooperative governance requires a society to compulsorily maintain certain funds while also recommending some other important funds. Let’s take a look at what these essential funds are that form the financial backbone of a cooperative housing society.
1. Reserve Fund
Reserve Fund is primarily a safety fund created to support unexpected expenses of the society. It is a highly liquid fund that is built by consistently putting away money over time in a savings account. The source of money for this fund could be other income generated by the society in the form of entrance fees, a portion of the surplus (if any), and so on.
The primary purpose of this fund is to enable the society to meet any immediate unforeseen expenses or financial obligations. But the society can choose how it wants to utilize the reserve fund on the condition that it is approved by the general body.
2. Sinking Fund
Sinking Fund is also created as a safety fund for the society but it is one of the compulsory funds. It is created as savings to cover expenses for situations where substantial structural repairs or reconstruction is needed for the society to stand again. It is obligatory to maintain a sinking fund for a cooperative housing society and to collect a set contribution from all society members on a timely basis.
This contribution should annually be a minimum of 0.25% of their flat’s construction cost (cost at the time of building construction that is verified by an Architect). Utilization of the money in Sinking Fund requires approval from the general body.
3. Repair & Maintenance Fund
As the name suggests, this fund is dedicated for all repair and maintenance activities indispensable to keep a society functioning. These could include minor repairs, and fixes of the building structures as well as of other components in the compound. This fund could also be used for meeting the expenses of recurring maintenance activities necessary for the upkeep of society’s infrastructure.
Repair & Maintenance Fund is a compulsory fund and accumulates annual contributions from all society members. Each member is expected to annually contribute a minimum of 0.75% of their flat’s construction cost (cost at the time of building construction that is verified by an Architect).
4. Major Repairs Fund
Major Repairs Fund is not a compulsory fund for a cooperative housing society and is created only when the need arises. This need could be for any major repair event as planned by the society. The identified major repair must be presented to the general body along with expense projection and the timeline for completion of the repair. The approved budget then forms the basis to calculate per member contribution towards this fund.
In essence, it is a fund created when the need arises and is spent immediately to meet the major repair requirement. Some instances where the creation of a Major Repairs Fund would become necessary are compound wall repair, partial or complete painting, repair or reconstruction of some structure, and so on.
5. Education & Training Fund
One of the core objectives of a cooperative housing society is to educate its members in the cooperative domain. The focus is to impart and expand their knowledge on society’s cooperative foundation as well as its working in line with these values.
The cooperative department is therefore responsible for educating and providing information related to different aspects of a cooperative housing society. This access must be availed by contributing a fixed amount annually. The compulsory contribution has been set at a minimum Rs. 10 per member per month and is accumulated in the Education & Training Fund.