Secondary Rules of RCHC

Secondary Rules

This document sets out rules for the Random Camel housing co-op, which are additional to the primary rules as set by Radical Routes. They provide guidelines for members of the co-op, along with rules for the running of the co-op and a general feel for the aims and values we share as members.

These rules are necessary to ensure the smooth running of the house and make it a peaceful and fair place to live. However, these rules are not set in stone and can be bent to fit with personal circumstance if needs must. Additionally we expect to expand and change the rules when we procure a house and start to live by them, as well as in the future. All rules must be agreed by all current members.

AIMS & PRINCIPLES

• To provide an affordable and sustainable home, whilst showing people that housing can and should be a resource for good and not a commodity.

• To inspire and empower our community and the public at large to take control of our housing.

• To provide an example of alternative living in action.

MEMBERS GUIDELINES

• Members are committed to living communally, simply and with a low environmental impact.
• The house is explicitly vegan with provisions for veggies to prevent unrest
• Members are responsible for their own belongings.
• Members clutter should not have a negative effect on other members use of communal areas.
• Members are responsible for their animals and any pests, though all members should be animal aware.
• Members should make all efforts to live in a low impact way.
• Any member sent to prison will have a place in the co-op upon release, providing the sentence was not in relation to something against the ethics and rules of the members or for a highly prolonged period.
• After all attempts at conflict resolution, all members have the ability to require a member to leave, with the consensus of the remaining house members.
• Members are expected to put emphasis on radical social change rather than the pursuit of careers that will hamper such activities.
• Members are expected to live with a focus on low impact, rather than materialistic lives and any members receiving high income are expected to use excess for the benefit of the planet and its inhabitants.
• The co-operative will only purchase goods its considers to be from ethically sound sources
• A long term goal for members is to make the co-op as accessible as realistically possible.
• Excess money generated from the co-operative will be ploughed back into the co-op to increase sustainability or for the good of our local community.
• Members are committed to radical social change.
• To our members, radical social change means using our lives to make the world better. We aim to spread awareness and take action where needed and put more emphasis on creating positive alternatives and fighting apathy. We want to use our co-op to educate our community that there are alternative ways of living that don’t trap individuals in mortgages or allow people to throw money away in rented property controlled by landlords. As activists we are fed up of all the open minded people leaving our town to go to a better one, so we are going to make ours better ourselves. As well as campaigning around animal liberation, anti fascist action, gender issues, anti-capitalist events, environmental liberation, anarchism, civil liberties, health and loads more stuff, we want to promote the positive and share info and resources with activists and everyone. We also recognize that activism is life, not just campaigning, and we can use other methods such as music, art, media, literature, discussion, example and more to change things. Any member of our co-op will share a similar ethos and enthusiasm.

 Joining Procedure:

• To consider the joining of a new member, all current members will have gotten to know the prospective member.
• A prospective member will take enough time and effort to give current members a thorough idea of living with their potential housemate.
• Potential members will undergo a 2 month trial period.
• The potential member will be on the agenda for monthly meetings for reviewing feelings of both the current and prospective member/s.
• New members can decide not to accept the potential as a full member and require them to leave as soon as they have other accommodation.
• New members are expected to pay a deposit (subject to Radical Routes rules) to cover rent should a member leave without serving their notice.

Leaving procedure:

• Prospective members should give 1 months notice
• Current members should give 2 months notice
• All members are expected to see out notice periods in recognition of the financial fragility of the co-op and related dependence on its members.
• Members failing to see out notice periods will, as a last resort, following conflict resolution attempts, will have their initial deposit retained as a means to cover that members rent.
• Members that see out notice periods will receive back their deposit.

RUNNING THE CO-OPERATIVE

• All decisions will be made by all members having reached consensus
• Any member can call a meeting for a time convenient to all members
• All members are expected to attend all meetings if possible
• House meetings will be held at least monthly
• Members are expected to attend Radical Routes gatherings regularly
• Members are expected to make a consistent contribution to fairly shared tasks such as; cleaning and tidying of communal areas, general house maintenance, Radical Routes obligations and admin
• Tasks that are required for the running of the co-operative will be rotated to ensure skill sharing and that responsibility and boring tasks are spread among members. These include; rent collection, book keeping, secretarial jobs and RR responsibilities.

These guidelines were created for the sake of the co-op’s members to promote an open, organized, equal and peaceful way of living communally.

Random Camel Co-op