MAN (Canadian): Hello. Is this the office for the Mole Hill
Cooperative?
WOMAN (Canadian): Yes, you’ve come to the right place.
MAN: Wonderful. It took me a while to find the right
building.
WOMAN: Yes, well, we are sort of tucked away behind some taller structures.
You aren’t the first person to have difficulty finding us. What can I help you
with?
MAN: I have some friends who live in this cooperative,
and I’m really interested in becoming a member.
WOMAN: Who are your friends?
MAN: Robert and Samantha.
WOMAN: Oh yes! I know them well. They are a lovely
couple.
MAN: Indeed.
WOMAN: So, how much do you know about our cooperative?
MAN: I know that you have around 30 units and that the waiting list for membership is
quite long. But it seems worth the wait, as you have such fantastic prices for
your apartments. And from what I hear, you also have very progressive
cooperative policies.
WOMAN: I certainly like to think so. All members…meaning
all people who live here…are automatically elected to the strata committee that
decides our policies. So, the people who live here decide the regulations and
terms of membership.
MAN: Brilliant.
WOMAN: But of course this also makes us very popular, and
thus the long wait. We have around 16
applications at the moment, and only a few units open up per year. So the wait
time can be anywhere from 2 to 5 years.
MAN: I’m sure it’s worth it. Um, a question though…
What size units do you have?
WOMAN: Two- or three-bedroom apartments. The two-bedroom
apartments are about 56 square meters, and the three-bedroom ones, oh, around
61 or 62.
MAN: Those are quite decent sizes! Much bigger than
what I have now.
WOMAN: I find them quite comfortable. And all of our
units are newly renovated.
MAN: Fantastic!
MAN: Now, um, what is the membership application
process like?
WOMAN: The first step is to fill out an application. Then
our strata committee reviews the application.
MAN: Uh-huh. But what kind of information do you
collect in it?
WOMAN: First, we have to know about your income. Being a
member of the cooperative is a big financial responsibility. So we just want to
make sure that you can, you know, keep up with your monthly charges. Otherwise,
everyone in the cooperative suffers.
MAN: All right. That won’t be a problem for me, as I
have a fairly stable job as an accountant.
WOMAN: Lovely. Then, um, we also ask about your family
status. We are happy to accept a variety of family types into our community,
but we do tend to prefer people with more stable situations in that regard.
MAN: You mean, rather than new couples that have a
higher risk of breaking up?
WOMAN: Precisely. That’s not to say we don’t accept
young, new couples…but I have to be honest in saying that our strata committee will
generally choose an established family first.
MAN: I’m single. Will that be a problem?
WOMAN: No, I don’t think so. You would just be considered
for one of the smaller units.
MAN: So, I fill out the application… And what if I get
accepted? What’s next?
WOMAN: You become a member by purchasing a share in the
cooperative. Right now, that’s $2,000.
MAN: OK.
WOMAN: Then it’s just a matter of paying your monthly
rent, which will vary depending on the unit you get. And, of course,
participating in the strata committee.
MAN: Sure. Then, can I fill out the application right
now?
WOMAN: Certainly. Here’s a form and a pen. Um, what’s
your name?
MAN: Henry Carpenter.
WOMAN: Nice to meet you, Henry. How do you spell your
last name?
MAN: C-A-R-P-E-N-T-E-R. It’s a bit tricky.
WOMAN: I’ve put your name into our waiting list. So just
fill out the application and then you’ll be set.
MAN: Wonderful. It’ll just take me a minute.