| For many people considering condo life for the first | | | | and free of other people's clutter. There may also be |
| time, having to 'obey rules' may sound intrusive to | | | | fire laws involved, for the safer passage of fleeing |
| personal liberty. It is interesting therefore, to note | | | | residents in an emergency. |
| that the large majority of condo residents approve | | | | It may sound unreasonable not to be allowed to put |
| of living under management rules and even think that | | | | an umbrella stand outside your own front door, but if |
| their lifestyle is enhanced by doing so. A recent study | | | | the rule were relaxed it may be difficult to draw the |
| shows hat 74% of condo residents like living by the | | | | line. |
| rules. | | | | Imagine if there was no rule, and your neighbor then |
| Perhaps it is not so surprising that condo owners | | | | stacked his kids' bikes outside his front door, plus his |
| prefer to live by rules. They are designed to enhance | | | | big sack of bird feeding seed and the wife's shopping |
| the lifestyle of everyone in the building. Many of the | | | | buggy. You may feel embarrassed if friends came to |
| requirements are simply the type of rules that once | | | | visit you and had to get past all that clutter to reach |
| used to be the norm in society, for instance, no noise | | | | your front door! |
| after eleven at night. | | | | Sometimes in condos, especially units built at ground |
| The secret of choosing a condo that lists the type | | | | floor level, even the patio is considered to be |
| of rules that you can live with, is to choose a condo | | | | 'common but exclusive'. This means that other people |
| where the people have a similar lifestyle to you. If | | | | can walk through your patio area if they need access |
| you are a person who is naturally considerate of your | | | | through it to move large items etc. |
| neighbors, then you probably already self-impose the | | | | All condo units should have a committee or board |
| type of rules that you will find in a condo block. | | | | which has a fair, unbiased mechanism set up for |
| For instance, many people keep their music quiet | | | | receiving complaints. Even without complaints the |
| after ten o'clock as a matter of courtesy. The same | | | | board should be meeting once a month or so, to |
| people probably make sure that if they get up early | | | | check on any rule enforcement and related issues. |
| one morning, they make as little crashing and banging | | | | Sometimes the condo environment changes and |
| noise as possible. | | | | agreement may be needed to adjust a rule. Boards |
| However, there are also sections of society who just | | | | are usually selected from the residents and are |
| do not think this way. They often do not realize how | | | | elected once a year, though even this is optional and |
| noisy they can be. These people need to have rules | | | | different condos will have their own arrangements |
| so remind them to be considerate of others. | | | | for board appointments. |
| Some rules can be very complex and puzzling in their | | | | Having rules in place makes condo life sound very |
| origin, for instance in many condos, you cannot put | | | | trouble-free and civilized, but even the simplest |
| anything outside your front door. But, you may put | | | | agreement over barking dogs, parking or late night |
| what you like on the balcony! | | | | parties can turn into nasty disputes. Choosing a |
| The front door is often in a corridor which is | | | | condo where the rules suit your lifestyle will avoid |
| considered to be one of the 'common areas'. Because | | | | much of this. |
| it is able to be used by anyone, it must be kept clear | | | | |