The problem encountered by condominiums
The condominium (often a residence) is a seemingly simple but in fact complex place. The condo can comprise many fractions - up to several tens of thousands - distributed among many co-owners. It is managed like a small company, with technical problems, works and projects, providers, daily problems, regulatory constraints, and financial imperatives.
Most of the time, the condominium is managed by a professional: the condominium Manager. The Manager is responsible for administrative and financial aspects, compliance with regulations, management of works and service providers, and organizing general meetings. Its mission is to manage the collective (as well as possible) and keep it in good condition.
Condominiums do not have the technical and organizational means to be efficient on a daily basis. RedLeafCondo brings you the necessary tools to master your condominium.
Co-owners are unprepared for managing a condominium. Uninformed, unorganized, they are often forced to stay away from decisions, especially non-residents and lessors. They rely on the Board of Directors (or Union Council) which must remain strong and motivated in all circumstances. The company designated to manage the condominium maintains control over the management of the condo, but is regularly questioned by the owners and residents. Relationships between managers and co-owners are often stormy.
In the age of digital and web applications, Boards of Directors (Union Councils) and owners corporations still do not benefit from the modern means that could allow them understand and manage their condominium, and bring visibility and coherence to the community. The absence of these modern means results (in the long term) in a form of abandonment by corporations of the monitoring of their condo.
What RedLeafCondo allows you to achieve
RedLeafCondo offers a modern technical solution to co-owners and boards of directors (union councils). The service lets you understand and administer the condominium, in collaboration with its manager (management company), in order to ensure overall coherence and efficiency at all times. This is the digital answer to the problems of organization in real estate condominiums. Thought and conceived by members of boards of directors, RedLeafCondo is resolutely oriented towards the co-owners corporation and its interests.
Value provided by RedLeafCondo :
- The site brings together all co-owners and residents, thanks to its shared collaborative space
- Information and documents related to the life of the condominium are never lost
- The owners corporation (and any other stakeholder) have a high level of visibility and optimal understanding of the condo
- Each co-owner can follow the actions of the board of directors (union council) and intervene as necessary
- Problems in the condominium are addressed by means of appropriate and dedicated tools
- The Board of Directors (Union Council) gains in speed, reliability, and efficiency in any situation
- The Manager (Trustee) can work closely with the Board of Directors and all co-owners
- The Manager's dominant position is reduced, its management becomes (normally) more transparent
- All the stakeholders of the condominium can now communicate quickly and efficiently
- All co-owners can get involved in the life of the condo, especially the lessors
- The condominiums can communicate with each other via the Inter Condominium Network (ICN)
- The condominium is better understood, better monitored, better administered
Benefits for your condominium: before and after
With RedLeafCondo and its tools you can solve complex problems, see more clearly, save time, gain in serenity, and even think about saving money!
- SEARCH FOR INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS
- Before: Important documents, e-mails and other information are held by the co-owners and members of the Board of Directors (Union Council), each on their own. There are multiple (not always updated) versions of the documents. Searching and collecting good versions takes time. Some documents and information are lost. When a co-owner is absent no one can access the items in his possession. When a co-owner quits the condominium she/he does not necessarily transmit elements she/he possesses to the others. And when a new co-owner enters the condominium, the others have a job transmitting her/he the elements disseminated everywhere.
- After: documents and information are centralized on the site, in a single version. They are accessible at any time, quickly, by all users (old or new). The information is consistent and reliable, as it is verified and cross-checked by everyone. Paper is kept to a minimum. Research is much faster. Each element can be consulted in real time, whether you are in a simple meeting or at the general assembly. Documents and information are never lost, and so the history of the condominium is preserved.
- COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ACTORS, SHARING OF INFORMATION AND EXPERIENCES
- Before: communication between co-owners is low (or nonexistent), and it's almost impossible with tenants. Lessors are even more aloof from information and daily decisions. The annual general meeting is the only time to meet and understand the problems of the condominium, but it lasts only a few hours (very insufficient). The exchange of information - mainly by mail - is done in an anarchic way. The making of a file by several people can only be done if a person with a lot of will is in charge of organizing everything. After some time it becomes complicated to trace the progress of discussions and meetings. The condo does not benefit from the opinions and experiences of all co-owners, knowing that among them are professionals and experts whose knowledge could be very useful.
- After: communication is greatly improved: all the stakeholders of the condominium can communicate in real time, express their opinion, and collaborate together. All messages exchanged are kept online, all contents are stored in dedicated spaces, comments and opinions can be reviewed by everyone. The expertise and knowledge of co-owners - and even tenants - is exploitable, because everyone is informed in real-time of what is happening in the condominium, and can therefore intervene to help. Finally, thanks to the Inter Condominium Network (ICN), the Board of Directors (or Union Council) can interact with other union councils and find solutions more quickly.
- ORGANIZATION OF WORK (RECORDS, MEETINGS, GENERAL ASSEMBLIES)
- Before: having several people working on a folder requires organization and availability, and both are hard to find. The physical meetings are complicated to stall because it is necessary to do with everyone's schedule. These meetings are therefore organized between members of the Board of Directors (Union Council), almost never with other co-owners, and never with tenants. The only time a (relative) majority of co-owners can meet is during the annual General Assembly. But this meeting is not the appropriate time to seriously discuss issues, files and projects, nor think about sustainable solutions for the condominium.
- After: discussion topics and files can be started on the website (in the space of your online condominium). All users can join the work group, and thus bring their opinions and ideas. A person who has not been able to participate in a physical meeting can still follow the subject and contribute afterwards. All subjects are treated much more effectively. General Assemblies are prepared in advance, and in particular, important topics can be debated online and then put on the agenda. All co-owners are aware of the condition of the condominium and informed about current works, and the annual General Assembly becomes a formality.
- MONITORING OF THE MANAGERS
- Before: the affairs and files of the condominium are handled by the Manager, and also for part by the Board of Directors (Union Council) which serves as a relay with the Manager. Success in following the planning and actions of the Manager depends on his level of goodwill and transparency. The Board of Directors is generally kept informed by the Manager of requirements and decisions, but not always. The Board members must be rigorous in order to record and maintain all exchanges with the Manager, and then inform the other co-owners. The Manager's staff must travel to the condominium to investigate a matter or check a problem, and the Board members must travel to the Manager's office to check the accounts (they cann't do so in a simple way, meaning remotely and when they wish to).
- After: all information, all exchanges, and all documents are kept on the site: the co-owners corporation can then share them with the Manager. Conversely, the Manager can supply the website with press releases (eg alerts, regulations), update the directory, add or modify documents (eg internal regulations), provide information (eg work status, expenses, change of their staff). Areas of concern are notified on the website - by the Manager or by the Board of Directors (Union Council) - and the co-owners corporation can check them easily and at any time. Eventually, the Board of Directors (Union Council) and the co-owners corporation gain visibility on the Manager, and the Manager gains visibility on the condominium. Everyone wins.