Buy-It In Israel

National Association for Better Housing

Posted on 06. Jul, 2010 by Buy-It In Israel Staff in Miscellaneous

Association's publication

Today, the majority of apartment buildings in Israel are managed and maintained by a committee of homeowner representatives called Vaad Bayit or building committee, who take care of all the shared expenses of the building. However, the house committee experience does more than often give cause to disputes and disagreements between tenants over fees and other issues. For this reason, most Vaad Bayit committees become members of the National Association for Better Housing (Ha’aguda letarbut hadiyur), which is a non-profit organization to protect tenants’ rights in apartment blocks.

The association charges a monthly membership fee of between NIS 28 and NIS 30 per building committee and in exchange tenants receive legal services and council on any issue that arises in the building and in particular regarding shared services and costs. In most cases disputes between neighbors relate to money from the payment of regular monthly building maintenance fees to building costs incurred during renovations or for other repairs of the rehush meshutaf (joint property space), which according to Israeli law, all of the tenants in an apartment block need to share. In such cases and any other issues, the Vaad Bayit representative can contact the association for advice and council how to resolve the situation. In more difficult cases, the association will provide a counselor who acts as a mediator between the disputing parties.

The association has legal advisers specialized in Israel real estate and joint property law, whose services can be used by members in cases regarding tenants’ rights, dispute-resolving in joint property disputes, payment failure of joint building expenses, counseling opposite maintenance companies or opposite constructors and builders. For members the legal services in such cases are free of charge. Other free services which members can benefit from are opinions in writing by a professional engineer regarding problems of dampness and leakage from pipes, or sealing and insulation of the building. Free advice by an architect regarding betterment changes of a building such as the installation of an elevator, construction additions in the joint space, expansion of the lobby, and more, is also part of the services provided to members.

Furthermore, the association offers members additional services at reduced costs such as legal representation at court and supervision by a professional engineer when renovating a building.

© Copyright 2010.

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