Frequently Asked Questions

Plain-language answers to the questions owners actually ask. For the binding text, always refer to the Bye-laws.

Registration basics

Where is the society registered? At uprfsc.gov.in — the Registrar of Firms, Societies & Chits, UP. Fully online, fee about ₹2,000.

What does the registration filing actually need? Memorandum of Association, Bye-laws, General Body member list, a notarised affidavit, the GBM resolution, plus ID + address proof of all office bearers. Nothing from the builder is required for this step.

Is the builder document chase needed for registration? No. That is a separate, parallel track for a clean handover and to protect the society's future interests — not a registration requirement.

What are the hard deadlines? Submit physical documents within 15 days of the presentation date being allotted. If the Registrar raises objections, resolve them within 15 days (30 max) or the application is auto-cancelled. The fee is non-refundable once paid.

Key terms

RWA vs AOA — what are we? "RWA" (Resident Welfare Association) is the loose everyday term. Our actual legal status under the UP Apartment Act 2010 is AOA (Association of Apartment Owners) — that is what we register as, and what all our documents refer to.

What is a corpus fund? A one-time reserve fund (separate from monthly maintenance) for big future expenses — lift replacement, major repairs, repainting. Builders often collect it at sale; it should transfer to the AOA at handover.

Maintenance fund vs sinking fund? Maintenance fund is monthly, for recurring costs (salaries, electricity, water, small repairs). Sinking fund is built up slowly, kept separate, and used only for large capital repairs.

LEDA vs LIDA? Same body — the Lucknow Industrial Development Authority. LEDA was the old name; it is now LIDA.

Money & signatories

What are the key financial thresholds?

Treasurer solo cash handling limit: ₹10,000
Payments above ₹10,000 need 2-of-3 signatures (President / Secretary / Treasurer)
Board approval needed above ₹20,000
Late payment penalty on dues: 1.5% per month
Facility restriction after 3 months unpaid
Bye-law violation fine: up to ₹1,000
Membership entrance fee: ₹1,000 (suggested)
GBM quorum: 30% of members; Board meeting quorum: 1/3 of office bearers
Bye-law amendment threshold: 2/3 of total building units

Where can society funds be invested? Only in nationalized / scheduled banks — savings or fixed deposits. Never in speculative markets. This is an explicit bye-law restriction.

Roles & terms

How long is a term? Can someone be re-elected? One year per term. Re-election is allowed, but no one may hold the same post for more than three consecutive years.

Can an office bearer be removed mid-term? Yes — by majority vote at a regular or special meeting, with or without cause, but only after the person has been given a chance to be heard.

Membership

Who becomes a member? Every flat owner, automatically, on paying the membership entrance fee. Membership is tied to owning the flat, not to living in it.

What happens when a flat is sold? The old owner's membership ends and the new owner's begins automatically — but the seller must clear all dues first, and a no-dues certificate is issued only after payment actually clears. A transfer fee also applies.

If I own two flats, do I get two votes? No. One member, one vote — regardless of how many units you own. Same for joint ownership: one agreed vote.

Can I vote if I can't attend? Yes, by proxy — a written authorization with photo, given to another member (family / co-owner) and approved by the Returning Officer or Management Committee.

Can I rent out my flat? Yes, but register the tenant's details with the Association. Tenants don't vote, and the owner remains responsible for dues and the tenant's conduct.

Meetings

General House vs Management Committee? General House = all members together. Management Committee = the elected seven-person board that runs day-to-day affairs on the General House's behalf.

AGM vs EGBM? AGM is the yearly scheduled meeting. EGBM is called for one urgent issue, needs at least 7 days' notice, and can only discuss the stated agenda.

What if quorum isn't met? The meeting can be adjourned by as little as 2 hours (up to 48) and reconvened — at the reconvened meeting, whoever shows up counts as quorum.

Insurance

Building insurance vs individual home insurance? The building (master) policy covers only the shared structure and common areas — foundation, roof, external walls, lifts, lobbies, parking. It does not cover any flat's interior, fixtures or belongings — that is a separate personal policy each owner arranges.

Is building insurance mandatory for us? Yes — it is now a Management Committee duty under Bye-law 36, funded through everyone's maintenance contribution. No owner can opt out.

After registration

Does registering finish everything? No — you still need a society PAN, a bank account, formal transfer of the corpus fund and assets from the builder, and ongoing compliance.

What annual compliance is needed? File the managing committee list annually with the Registrar, get accounts audited and published to members by 15 August, and renew registration when due (typically every 5 years).