Housing society group rules

Why societies fight more on the phone than in meetings

In a meeting, people see each other's faces, speak in turn and go home. In a group chat, a complaint about parking is read by two hundred neighbours at once, at any hour, without tone of voice, and five people reply before the first one has finished typing. Small matters become public trials. The rules on this page are built to turn the group back into a notice board and to send disputes to the place where they can actually be solved: the committee.

Getting the rules accepted

Rules posted by one admin look like one neighbour bossing the others. Have the managing committee agree to them, mention that in the first line, and post them from the committee's side. Repeat them when new residents join, and keep a short version in the group description. Apply them first to committee members themselves; nothing builds acceptance faster.

Two groups work better than one

Many societies find peace by splitting: one "Notices" group where only admins post (water, lift, maintenance dates, emergencies), and one open "Residents chat" for everything else. People who want only information mute the second. Buying and selling can move to a third group with its own buy and sell rules.

These rules are also available in हिंदी. For the day an argument breaks out anyway, keep this guide ready.

How to use these rules

1. Copy the rules and change any line that does not fit your group.
2. Post them in the group and pin the message, so that it stays at the top.
3. Put the one-line version in the group description. Ready lines are on the descriptions page.
4. When a rule is broken, remind the person privately first. See how to be a good admin.

Rules for other groups