TERMINOLOGY/JARGON
There’s a lot of technical terms to learn when you’re first getting your head around the world of community management & living. We’ve put together this handy guide to simplify some of the more common terminology.
A unit that is designed for use with any principal unit (including, but not limited to, a garden, garage, car parking space, storage space, swimming pool, laundry, stairway, or passage) and that is shown on a unit plan as an accessory unit
Also called ‘fees’ – the annual contribution each unit owner must pay in respect of their unit. Often paid quarterly or 6-monthly, if not annually.
A meeting of all of the members/owners or their nominated proxies. There must be at least one meeting every year referred to as the Annual General Meeting.
An estimate of the costs your complex will incur in the coming financial year. Approved by owners and the basis of the levies you pay (calculated by applicable unit share).
Areas owned collectively by & the responsibility of all the owners in common and shown on the plan as such.
Owners elected at a general meeting to govern the complex in between general meetings in accordance with the applicable legislation.
Any general meeting of the members/owners other than the Annual General Meeting.
Means a period of 12 months ending on the date that is 12 months from the date the entity is established. (eg. 01/04/14 – 31/03/15)
A long-term fund established to pay for future planned maintenance.
The registered owner of a unit.
A unit that is designed for use (whether in conjunction with any accessory unit or not) that is shown on a unit plan as a principal unit (refr Section 7 UTA 2010). For example an apartment or carpark.
Written authority given to someone else to allow them to attend and vote on the owner’s behalf at a General Meeting.
Property which belongs to an individual unit/owner and is not shown as common or shared property on the plan.
The number of owners that must be present or represented at a General meeting before it can conduct business as per the applicable legislation.
Specific things that can or cannot be done by members. It is important to read and understand the rules of a complex before you purchase or move in.
Should complexes need to raise money for a special purpose on top of the annual budget, they may refer to that levy on members as a “special levy”.
This determines what proportion of the budgeted costs will be paid by the owner of a unit, and the voting power of that unit.
The laws governing all Bodies Corporate.
The plan of the whole development – filed at Land Information New Zealand – determines what is common property (the body corporate’s responsibility) and what is private property (the unit owner’s responsibility).