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Tenants in housing co-operatives (co-op) volunteer their time and are not paid for any of the services they offer. They help run the co-op by:
- attending meeting regularly
- making decisions about how the co-op operates
- looking after the properties
- managing the tenancies.
Tenants must be willing to:
- volunteer their time each week - up to 12 hours.
- accept an office bearer role - eg chairperson, secretary, maintenance officer
- attend training to learn how to manage the housing co-op.
Tenant member roles and resources
Some co-op members have specific responsibilities, such as the chairperson or tenancy officer. These types of roles are called office bearers and are elected at each annual general meeting.
Chairperson
The main representative for the co-op is the chairperson. Responsibilities include:
- checking that the co-op complies with legislation, rules and by-laws.
- leading activities such as annual strategic planning.
- chairing meetings
- resolving any complaints or issues raised.
Secretary
The secretary is the main administration officer for the co-op. Responsibilities can include:
- preparing meetings
- managing correspondence
- managing records.
They are also the 'custodian of the common seal' - the co-op's official stamp on legally binding documents.
Tenancy officer
Tenancy coordinators have a specific focus on the people living in the co-op - the tenants. They manage:
- tenancy agreements - leases
- property inspections
- tenant records.
Rent officer
Rent coordinators calculate rent charges and review them at least once every 6 months. They also keep rent records for all tenancies.
Treasurer
The treasurer manages the co-op's financial transactions. They are responsible for:
- developing the annual budget
- maintaining financial records.
- submitting the annual budget to the South Australian Housing Trust.
Membership officer
Membership officers focus on what is required of members in the co-op. This includes:
- addressing breaches of membership rules
- processing applications and inducting new members
Maintenance officer
Maintenance officers manage and maintain the cooperative's houses. They are responsible for:
- maintaining maintenance records
- conducting annual property inspections
- completing maintenance work or organising licenced trades when needed:
- developing:
- maintenance plans for each property
- maintenance summary - submitted each year to the South Australian Housing Trust.
Education officer
Education officers develop and coordinate annual training plans for each member of the co-op.
Education officer role description (DOC 45.5 KB)
Model organisation training plan (DOC 174.0 KB)
Model individual annual training plan and record (DOC 43.5 KB)
Model training self check (DOC 57.0 KB)
Model job description template (DOC 33.5 KB)
National Community Housing Standards
Good practice standards in service delivery in the community housing sector.
