Blog
For boards and managers of housing associations. Written in English, Swedish and Estonian, about the work that comes round every year.
- English
Residents
Collecting meter readings every month without chasing anyone
How to collect meter readings from residents every month without chasing: one fixed deadline, photo submission, sanity checks and a fair rule for gaps.
4 min
- English
Maintenance
Heating season checklist for housing associations
A heating season checklist for housing associations: substation and heating curve, bleeding and balancing radiators, and what to tell residents early.
4 min
- English
Finance
Chasing late payments kindly but firmly
How to chase late payments in a housing association kindly but firmly: a reminder schedule, the personal call, payment plans and when to hand over.
4 min
- English
Residents
Communicating with residents who speak different languages
Practical ways to communicate with residents who speak different languages: plain wording, translated notices, what to translate and how to label it.
4 min
- English
Running an association
How a housing association board should approve large expenses
A simple process for board approval of large expenses in a housing association: spending limits, quotes, written decisions and reserve fund withdrawals.
4 min
- English
Billing
Splitting shared costs fairly: by share, area, flat or metered use
How to split shared costs in a housing association by ownership share, floor area, per flat or metered use, with a worked example comparing all four.
4 min
- English
Running an association
Self-managed or management company: an honest comparison
Should a housing association be self-managed or hire a management company? Costs, workload and risks compared, with questions to ask before you sign.
4 min
- English
Maintenance
Building a 10-year maintenance plan for an apartment building
How to build a 10-year maintenance plan for an apartment building: list components, estimate remaining life and cost, set priorities and keep it current.
4 min
- English
Finance
Sizing the reserve fund: a method that survives the annual meeting
How big should a housing association reserve fund be? A practical method built on your maintenance plan, with worked numbers and options if you fall short.
4 min
- English
Meetings and votes
Proxies, quorum and weighted votes, explained
Proxies, quorum and weighted votes explained for housing association boards: who votes, how to count by share or area, and what to check in your bylaws.
4 min
- English
Billing
How to explain a shared-cost invoice so residents stop asking
How to explain a shared-cost invoice to residents: show the building total, the split key and the flat's share on every line, so the questions stop.
4 min
- English
Meetings and votes
How to run an annual general meeting that ends on time
A practical timeline for running a smooth annual general meeting in a housing association, from notice and agenda to proxies, votes and minutes.
5 min