There are many reasons why we may choose to live an apartment block or multi-occupancy building. While day-to-day living can be a trouble free experience, there are times when we must work with our neighbours to decide on communal matters.
Whether it’s deciding on a new paint colour for the hallway, organising a building-wide clean-up, or choosing a new management company, it’s important to work together with your neighbours to get things done. Here are some tips on how to make communal decisions with your neighbours in a shared apartment block.
Communication is key
The first step in making communal decisions is to communicate. This means talking to your neighbours about what you want to achieve and why it’s important. You can do this by setting up a meeting, raising a proposal at your AGM or EGM, sending an email or text message, or even by using the discussion forums in freeholder.app. Make sure to give everyone a chance to share their thoughts and ideas, and try to find common ground.
Establish clear procedures
Once you’ve communicated with your neighbours, it’s important to establish clear procedures for making decisions. This might include setting up a voting system, creating a committee, or establishing a chain of command. Whatever you decide, make sure that everyone knows what the procedures are and how they can participate.
Be respectful
During the decision-making process, it’s important to be respectful of your neighbours. This means listening to their opinions, being open to compromise, and avoiding personal attacks or insults. Remember, you’re all living in the same building, and you’ll need to continue to work with each other long after the decision has been made.
With clear procedures and in many RTM scenarios, decisions are democratic. You have to respect the decision of the majority unless it’s in conflict with health & safety
Keep everyone informed
Once a decision has been made, it’s important to keep everyone informed about what’s happening. This might include sending out regular updates, posting notices in common areas, or creating a newsletter or using a discussion forum. By keeping everyone informed, you’ll help to build a sense of community and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Living in a shared apartment block can be a great experience, but on occasion it requires cooperation and communication. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Whether it’s asking a neighbour to help you with a communal project, or reaching out to a solicitor or professional management company for support, there are always resources available.
Further reading
If you want to find out more, here are some useful links (please note we cannot be held responsible for information found on external websites):