Understanding Maintenance Charges in Housing Societies

Apart from the stamp duty and registration fee, purchasing an apartment entails a slew of other fees. One of them is the maintenance charge, which is paid by apartment owners to the society complex or resident welfare association on a monthly or annual basis for the upkeep of the common area. However, homebuyers frequently overlook important details about such costs and end up paying a miscellaneous amount, which causes them to be dissatisfied later.

   

On a broader outlook – maintenance charge is the fee charged by the builder/housing society/RWA which goes towards the routine maintenance of the facilities that do not fall under any particular homeowner but are common for all, for example – maintenance of the swimming pool, regular cleaning of the common area, routine servicing of the lifts, etc.

   

Typically, housing societies charge maintenance fees based on the size of the apartment or other variables if the apartments are all the same size. A buyer should also be aware of the amenities included in the fee. The maintenance fee ranges from Rs 2 to Rs 4 per square foot. In some cases, builders charge a one- or two-year advance maintenance fee at the time of possession. Furthermore, monthly maintenance charges of Rs 7,500 or less are exempt from GST, whereas if the total collection is less than Rs 20 lakh per year, the societies do not need to register, but if the annual turnover is greater than this, 18% GST will be applicable.

   

Ashiana Housing Maintenance Team

 

Ashiana Housing’s Maintenance team has been looking after the well-being of the residents in an efficient manner over the years

 

Inclusions

 

The services offered by our maintenance team include –

   

●     Services of Electrician, Plumber, and Mason

 
  • In-house maintenance staff available at no extra cost and at resident’s convenience
  • The staff is competent, experienced and have a humane approach
  • Credentials are verified by AMS (Ashiana Maintenance Services)
     

●     Security

  • Round-the-clock security service with patrolling and gate checks
  • Maintenance and upkeep of firefighting equipment
  • Lifeguard for the swimming pool *
   

●     Horticulture

  • Maintenance and upkeep of gardens, trees and plants
  • Pruning of bushes
  • Maintenance of fountains*
  • Maintenance of club house and other facilities*
  • Maintenance of swimming pool*
   

●     Housekeeping

  • Daily sweeping of common areas, streets, and pathways
  • Daily collection of household refuse and its disposal; environment friendly disposal of waste / garbage
  • Operation and maintenance of sewage treatment plant*
  • Water treatment & recycling
  • Regular cleaning of surface drains
  • Pest Control
  • Janitorial services for the residents (at a pre-decided cost)
   

●     Facilities & Activities Management

  • Club House with facilities of gym, swimming pool, library
  • Both indoor and outdoor sports facilities
  • Select coaching facility also available
  • Community events – cultural, sports competitions, health camps etc.
 

●     Liaison for Municipal Services

  • Water and Electrical Management
  • Routine check-up of proper functioning of water and electrical supply
  • Regular cleaning and testing of water
  • Periodic maintenance and repair of electrical generators, etc.
 

●     Resale & Rental Services

  • Connecting buyers and sellers
  • Mediating towards a good deal
  • Getting the paperwork done for a hassle-free transaction
   

Maintenance Charges

 

The total maintenance bill includes three types of charges i.e. –<.p>  

  • Fixed Charges – the base charge, based on your flat size, is the fixed charge
  • Floating Charges – the charges that are variable for example electricity bill, or water tax, etc.
  • Capital Charges – the charges that you pay for specific repairs
   

The overall maintenance fee is the summation of all three charges. Our residents have to pay one year of maintenance charges at the time of possession of the flat.

   

Refer to the table below for a better understanding of how these charges are calculated –

   
Type of maintenance charge Applicability
Expenses on repair and maintenance of the building 0.75% per annum of the construction cost of each flat
Service charges (housekeeping, security, electricity for common areas, equipment, etc.) Equally divided among the flats
Expenses on repair and maintenance of elevators Equally divided among the flats
Sinking fund Minimum of 0.25% per annum of the construction cost of each flat
Non-occupancy charges For flats which are rented, calculated at 10% of service charges
Parking charges By the number of parking slots of each member
Property tax and water charges Actual consumption of each flat, or number of water inlets
*Information provided by RICS South Asia

Conclusion

 

Make sure that you do not pay any maintenance charges whatsoever if forced the possession of under-construction flats.

   

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has clearly stated that residents who are forced to take possession of their homes in delayed projects cannot be asked to pay maintenance charges if the builder has yet to receive an occupancy certificate (OC) for the project.

   

We, at Ashiana Housing always start possession of the flats only after the construction is complete, and over the years, we have always been able to deliver our projects and your homes, on time!

   

For information on our projects, visit our website – www.ashianahousing.com.

     
Category: Real Estate,

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Ashiana

About The Author

Ashiana, Ashiana Housing build homes. Homes surrounded by vast green spaces and fresh breeze. Homes cocooned in secured gated complexes. Homes where futures are forged and there are opportunities to grow. And Homes in environments brimming with healthy activity, trust and respect. At heart, we build communities with care.

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