Pablo Novillo
02/16/2020 - 17:07
- Clarín.com
- Cities
Rentals, ABL, public services, mortgage payments. Everything that has to do with the cost of housing is suffering increases that increasingly hurt more in the pockets of the Buenos Aires. But there is one that generates particular concern: last year, the expense in the City rose above the district's general inflation . Thus, more and more families have problems paying for them and repairs to buildings are postponed, even those that pose some risk.
The data arises from the survey conducted monthly by the Directorate of Statistics and Census of the Buenos Aires Government. In December, the average expenses paid by a type family in Buenos Aires completed a 51.8% increase in the year . If the monthly cost was $ 2,368 in December 2018, a year later it went to $ 3,598.
This jump exceeds 50.6% of inflation of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) measured by the same agency in the district, and which was a little more benevolent than the 53.8% registered by INDEC for the average of the whole country.
The salary of the managers is one of the main expenses of the consortiums.
The statistical series of the official Buenos Aires agency allows us to observe other aspects. One, that if the monthly consumption basket of that type family is (according to the estimate) of $ 48,000 per month, the $ 3,598 that goes to the expenses is equivalent to 7.5% of the total expenses . The other point is that the numbers clearly show the damage of inflation and devaluation in recent times: five years ago, in December 2014, the average expenses were $ 698, and represented 7% of the total expenses of the basket measure then.
In addition, it should not be forgotten that the 51.8% increase is an average. This obviously means that for many families the increase was much greater . "There were cases of 70% increase or more. If there are abuses and one files a complaint in the Register of Administrators, the answer comes a year later. People get tired, less and less attend assemblies. It is an absolute lack of control. " , lamented Samuel Knopoff, president of the Federation of Consorcists (FEDECO)
Consortium overheads basically went up for two issues. First, the salary cost of building managers . As reported in the Consorcistas Union of the Argentine Republic (UCRA), last year the workers had two quotas of increases of 11.5% in March and May, another two of 9.5% in July and November, plus a third to pay next March. In addition, they received a non-remunerative bonus of $ 5,000 paid in two installments of $ 2,500 in October and November. In addition, those in charge have a year-end bonus that is equivalent to 20% of the basic salary of the agreement, and which is paid together with the bonus.
"Many consortiants are calling us to see how to replace the manager with a cleaning company that does not go every day. The cost of the manager is 50% or more of the total expenses of the consortium," said Alicia Giménez, head of UCRA.
The other driver of the increase for the consortiums was the inflation in the expenses of cleaning and maintenance of the building , especially in those that have common services. In many cases, and due to the rising cost of energy, in the winter there were buildings where the boilers were turned off or the common heating was controlled a lot.
On the side of common expenses, the Buenos Aires government tried a palliative last year. Through the elimination of bureaucratic requirements , they aimed to lower costs. As explained in the Secretariat of Citizen Attention, they removed the obligation to present the certificate of safe book and carry a periodic data book, which meant a saving of $ 18,000 per year for an average building. They also spaced water tank controls (saving $ 15,000 per year) and spraying ($ 26,000 per year), among other changes.
But the consorcists say that in many buildings these savings were marginal. And they maintain it in a fact: the increase of the delinquency. According to a report by the Civil Association of Consortium Administrators, in September 30% of families already had trouble paying the expenses per day.
This led many administrations to make a double-edged decision: charge extra fees to those who do pay a day , to compensate for the deficit. Of course, in addition to sounding injustice, the measure puts even more pressure on the achievers.
The other side of the expense increase and the delinquency leap is the lack of maintenance. Many consortiums have no choice but to postpone repairs. And not only aesthetics, such as painting or lighting, but also other situations, such as eventual arrangements on facades and balconies, which pose a risk of accidents.