MEMBERS’ CONTRIBUTIONS

Housing Charges
​Housing charges include all amounts the Co-op charges to Members.
a) Each Member of the Co-op must pay housing charges. Housing charges are made up of:

• The full monthly housing changes for the Member’s unit, less any subsidy provided by the Co-op

• Parking charges, if any

• Any other monthly charges that Members must pay under any of the Co-ops by-laws as from time to time may be adopted.

b) Each Member must pay additional housing charges, if applicable. These include: 
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• The maintenance deposit (may from time to time be changed according to the monthly housing charges)

• Late payment charges

• Bank or financial institution charge for NSF cheques or failed payments

• NSF administration or failed payment charges

• Other charges that Members must pay under any of the Co-op’s by-laws

c) Members must pay their housing and parking charges before noon on the first business day of each month.  Housing charges cannot be paid in cash. Members will be charged a late penalty fee for payments received after the first business day of each month. Cheques or money orders must be received in the Co-op office by the 25th of the previous month, unless direct deposit arrangements have been made.  Payment options can include post-dated cheques, pre-authorized debit and money order.
d) The housing charges do not include the following:
 

• Electricity for a unit

• Utilities, other than electricity, for a unit

• Telephone for an individual unit

• Internet service

• Cable television charges, other than basic cable if provided by the Co-op

• Insurance on a Member’s personal property. Members who occupy a unit with other Members may have a joint policy for property and personal insurance

• The Member’s personal liability insurance.

If the Co-op has to pay any of the above charges for any reason, the cost will be added to the Member’s housing charges.
 
This by-law has to be amended in order to change the items that are included in, or not included in, the housing charges.

Member Deposit
a) Members must pay a Member deposit to the Co-op, equal to one full month’s housing charge for their unit. This deposit can be used as the last month’s housing charges. Members must pay this deposit before moving into their unit.
b) Members must pay a maintenance deposit, as outlined in the Occupancy Agreement, to the Co-op before moving into their unit.
c) When there is a change in the monthly housing charges, which is decided at a Members’ meeting, the Co-op will adjust the amount of the last month’s deposit.   If the Members’ monthly housing charges increase, Members must pay the difference between the previous monthly housing charge and the new monthly housing charge by the first day of the first month after such charges become effective, unless the Members’ meeting approving the new housing charges decides on a different date. Section 4.1 of this by-law allows for the Members to decide differently. If it decreases, the Members will get a credit for the difference which will be applied to future deposit increases.

The amount of the Member deposit will be the same for all Members, regardless of whether they receive subsidy from the Co-op or not. 

d) The Co-op will return the maintenance deposit when the Member and the Member’s household terminate their occupancy and Member rights. Before returning the deposit, the Co-op can deduct any amount owed by the Member for the following reasons:

• The Member did not give enough notice, as stated in the Organizational By-law, OR

• The unit was not left in the condition as stated in the Co-op By-laws, OR

• The Member owes money to the Co-op such as return cheque charges, OR

• The Member did not pay the final full month’s housing charges

e) The Co-op will not pay interest on the Member or maintenance deposit.

Other Charges
a) A Member is responsible, and must pay the Co-op, for any extra costs, charges or expenses caused by:

• The Member

• Any person who is a part of the Member’s household, or

• Any person, including a long-term guest, that the Member allows onto the Co-op’s property

 This applies even if no Co-op by-law has been broken.
 
The Co-op has the right to recover solicitor and client costs, as settled by the Co-op (the actual legal fees and costs) of any legal action that the Co-op takes to recover money owed or to enforce its rights under the by-laws.

b) Members must pay the Co-op for any bank charges associated with NSF cheques or pre-authorized payments.

Responsibility for Charges
The Co-op calculates the Member deposit, monthly charge and the maintenance deposit for each unit. If more than one Member occupies a unit, they are jointly and severally liable for the full charges.
a) If any person ceases to occupy a unit, the remaining Member(s) are still responsible for any and all the charges which apply to that unit. 
b) Persons who share a unit can arrange to share expenses, under the following conditions:

• The sharing arrangement does not limit the Co-op’s rights AND

• One of the Members in the unit must collect the payments and make one single monthly payment to the Co-op

Housing Charge Subsidy
Rights to a subsidy from the Co-op are stated in the Housing Charge Subsidy By-law, if the Co-op has one, and Appendix C. The Manager or any other person or committee authorized by the Board for that purpose will determine who is entitled to subsidy from the Co-op and the amount of the subsidy.  Members have the right to appeal any decision to the Board. The Board will determine the procedure to follow. These must be procedurally fair.

Participation
Members must participate in the formal activities of the Co-op including attending all general Members’ meetings unless unable to do so because of illness, emergency or other reason acceptable to the Board.
 
Members are required to participate in a committee or contribute to some other community effort within the Co-op.

Housing Charge Subsidy
Members who have a housing charge subsidy from the Co-op owe the Co-op the full housing charges less the subsidy. If the housing charge subsidy funds are provided by the government or other funders, and the Co-op does not receive subsidy funds, the Members must pay the full housing charges. It could be because a Member was not entitled to the housing charge subsidy, or the funder changed its policies, or for any other reason.