SERVING ON THE RESIDENTS' COMMITTEE

Downsizing from a family home that was on the large side to what is euphemistically termed `city fringe living’ can be challenging.  Well, let’s say such a move brings with it a range of differing experiences.  For me, one of them in recent months has been serving on the Residents’ Committee.   New Zealand thrives on committees of all kinds and over the years I have played a part in a number of them, usually making enemies left, right and centre without even trying.  However, I am proud to report that so far, with this particular group I have managed to make no obvious ones.

Working on a Residents’ Committee can be more time consuming than is at first imagined because all the minor tasks that keep a complex functioning smoothly can be individually onerous.   Nevertheless someone has to be on hand to ensure the contractor who has been approached for the roof upgrade can actually access the roof at a time acceptable to him.   Getting him to come in the first place has been a major triumph – courtesy of my fearless Committee Colleague from Unit F in Row One who courageously offered to `find an alternative quote’ when the initial, in fact the only quote so far appeared to be perhaps a little on the high side.   So naturally, none of us are keen to upset potential contractor number two in any way if it can be avoided.   If seven am on Sunday morning suits him then so be it.

Updating the Pet Register is another vital initiative that is essential to the smooth operation of this particular group, and I have recently discovered, to many other similar ones.   There are Rules around owning pets, a fact that had completely escaped me as in more recent years we have ceased to fall into that particular category.   When we were animal owners we sought approval from nobody except our own clamouring children.  We simply acquired three cats, two rats, a tribe of mice and guinea pigs, two rabbits and several goats as and when we chose without care or concern for our neighbours.  Looking back, some of those living around us certainly objected to the goats who regularly tore free from their tetherings and had feasts and fun in the gardens of others.    Pet ownership works quite differently in a more confined community.   Only unit owners may own animals.  Tenants may not.  The problem is that more than often tenants are unaware of this particular tenet and are most unwilling to part with a much loved pet and even – horror of horrors – disregard the Rule!   Enter the Cavalry of the Residents’ Committee.  

Short term parking is another bone of contention.  Several P120 spaces have been made available specifically for ease of visiting tradespeople and the occasional elderly weekend lunch guest.   They are most definitely not intended for those who simply can’t be bothered relocate their vehicle to its proper place overnight.   Another problem for the Residents’ Committee, each of whom could now easily become in danger of turning neighbours into  enemies.

Yes, all these seemingly trivial tribulations add up to sizeable snags to which somebody is charged with finding a solution.  Time consuming to say the least and so when  any random resident dares to raise their head and venture a Complaint about the manner in which the Committee is dealing with this day to day business they are often greeted with a degree of impatience and testiness they might not have quite expected.