August in the building: what cannot stop even when nobody is around

In August half the building empties out, sometimes including the chair. The community obligations, on the other hand, do not go on holiday.

What cannot stop

• Pool maintenance and its water testing, if the pool is open. It is the most heavily regulated item and the one that copes worst with improvisation.
• The lift: the maintenance contract and, above all, the emergency line for people trapped inside. Check that the number in the car is the correct one and that somebody answers it.
• Cleaning and waste collection in shared areas, even at reduced frequency.
• Insurance and direct debits: a payment bounced in August for lack of funds gets sorted out in September, with a surcharge.

What to settle before you leave

1. Who effectively stands in for the chair: a contact neighbour who is reachable and knows what to do if something serious breaks.
2. Emergency numbers somewhere accessible: plumber, electrician, lift company, insurer. In the entrance hall, not on one person phone.
3. How to file a claim, known in advance. If a downpipe bursts on 12 August, somebody has to know who to call and which policy number to give.
4. The month scheduled payments covered.

Using August for what you can

It is a good moment for anything that bothers nobody: reviewing contracts and notice deadlines, requesting quotes for the autumn works, bringing the paperwork up to date, drafting the agenda for the September meeting.

Half an hour in August saves a long meeting in October.

And a warning about calling meetings

If you have to call a meeting for September, bear in mind that in August people do not read their post or walk past the notice board. Give plenty of notice and use the channels you have on record: a badly notified call in August is the easiest way for an important resolution to end up challenged.