Co-operative member (nil) 16 September 2012

Conducting private tutions in society

We stay in a co-operative housing soicety in mumbai in a 26 storey tower. There are a some members/flat owners who conduct private tutions in their flats in our building. My cause of worry and concern is there is a huge amount of usage of the elevators due to the students who keep shuttling to and fro on several floors which is resulting in surge in our Electricity Bills (say oneway cost incurred Rs.11 per floor everytime the elevator moves. This amount multiplied by say 22 students atleast 6-8 times in a day * month* year and so on.),the Ruckus and nuisance is also created by these strangers.

1)I want to know who should bear this additional cost of this rampant usage of lifts/elevators? why shouldnt the society members slap the private tution conductors with commercial charges

2)Should the society be charging the private tution conductors with commercial charges since they are running shops in residential societies which are ment for residential use and not commerical use.

3) How can we stop this completely as its a Nuisance in our Society! Please suggest answers asap.

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1 Replies

S Jadhav 98336 98330 (Jadhav & Associates) 17 September 2012

Dear Sir,

In any building, there would be guests and other visitors and the society cannot say no to them to use the serivces of lifts or even parking. However, many societies illegally prevent visitors from parking in their compound. Legally parking for visitors is to be allowed within permissible constraints. Similarly, visitors, even if they are children coming for tution are considered as visitors and are allowed to use the lifts. The housing societies are supposed to work on co-operative principles i.e. they should understand, help and tolerate each other within reasonable limits. As a society member you have the right to request the students and the tution provider to reduce the noise and other nuisance if it is more than reasonable according to the rest of the members.

The society cannot charge the tution providing members with commercial charges unless, they are running it commercially that is they have employed a large number of teachers to run the classes, etc. Normally tutions are provided by persons who may find it as a additional; income source or those who cannot or would not like to do a job or business somewehre else. As a society member, you may feel empathy for them that they are trying to make a living out of it and also provide service to nearby students. But it should not be at the cost of other society members being troubled significantly.

I have seen cases where some society members have more than two dozen visitors eveeryday as they belong to a large family and have a large circle of friends. Would you like to curb your freedom of visiting family and freinds because they will use lifts ?

Please discuss the matter and resolve it such that the nuisance is reduced e.g. the students amy be requested to walk down the stairs though they may use the lifts while going up (small children may still require the lift).

In any case when you bought a house in a tower with so many floors, you should have been prepared for the higher maintenance required not only due to lifts but other things such as security and water pumping, etc.

S Jadhav