We spoke to two property management companies on either side of the country to find out how they have adjusted their work with clients during COVID-19.
In operation since 1984, COHO Management Services Society serves 92 clients and over 5,600 co‑operative homes in British Columbia. When COHO closed
Housing co-operatives are small businesses formed to provide housing for their members. They prosper best when they are fully occupied and members pay their housing charges in full and on time.
A housing co-op is not a complex business, but it takes work to keep it going. As the steward of your
Housing co-operatives have just one valuable asset: their property. So it makes sense to take care of it.
A well-kept housing co‑operative has prouder, happier members who love their homes. It’s a place where other people want to live. And one that will serve generations to come, far into the
This world is the only one we have. Investing in sustainability will save your co-op money and protect future generations too.
Check out ideas from the Agency, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada and others that will help reduce your co-op’s
You can never get back the money you lose when a unit stands empty. Whenever a member gives notice, it’s important to get the word out, which is usually the responsibility of the manager. As soon as a prospect gets in touch, your co-op needs to follow up promptly. Otherwise, they will go elsewhere.
Your co-operative is in the housing business, not the lending business. It has bills to pay and a building to keep up. You should keep this in mind when members don’t pay on time.
If a household doesn’t pay what it owes and moves out, the co-operative is left with a bad debt, which will have to be
To avoid running out of money, your co-op needs to adopt a well thought-out operating budget every year. Without one, you could find yourself facing a deficit, paying your bills late, cutting back on repairs to units and unable to update and replace worn-out building elements.
Begin the process by
Your co-op has three main assets, although only one appears on the audited financial statements.
Protect your co-op‘s property by buying the right insurance in the right amounts. All housing co-ops need five kinds of insurance: property, loss of housing charges, public
61% of Agency clients hold a capital reserve balance of at least $6,000 per unit. By almost doubling the amount from 2007, co-ops are nearly twice as ready to meet their future needs.