Chapter 1582: Property Fee

Winery employees saw the notice posted on the bulletin board at the factory gate when they got off work in the evening.

Yugong Liquor Industry (Jiangzhou Winery) employee building has been topped out, Type A (68m²) two bedrooms, two living rooms, one bathroom.

Type B (92m²) three bedrooms, two living rooms, two bathrooms. Type C (138m²) four bedrooms, two living rooms, two bathrooms.

The price is 310 yuan per square meter, property fee, 50 cents per square meter per month, the winery reimburses 30 cents, and the employee personally bears 20 cents.

On February 17th, the eighth day of the first lunar month, starting at 8:00 AM, employees of Yugong Liquor Industry (Jiangzhou Liquor Factory) were to go to the Old Factory Cultural Palace to draw their numbers.

In an instant, the area in front of the bulletin board was packed tight, and every face was beaming with excitement.

"Didn't they say the drawing wouldn't be until after the fifteenth?"

"I heard the same thing, that it would be after the fifteenth. Why was it suddenly moved up?"

"Isn't it better that it's early? I'm already thinking about going to see my house as soon as I draw my number."

"What is this property management fee? Does anyone know?"

"Yeah, when you buy a house, do you have to pay this property fee every month?"

"Does anyone here understand it?"

"Work just ended, and the leaders haven't left yet. Let's go ask."

"Right, right, right, let's ask the leaders what this property fee is all about."

"A few of us will go; you guys wait here."

Zhou Andong stood in front of the window in Wu Huilin's office, where he could see the main gate, and seeing the dense crowd of people there, he smiled and said.

"They must be very happy, right?"

Gu Bing, with a cigarette in his mouth, stood beside Zhou Andong: "Property fees, don't you think that's a bit expensive?"

"Fifty cents, with the factory reimbursing thirty cents, so the employees only pay twenty cents—is that still expensive?" Zhou Andong said with his hands behind his back: "For a large residential complex like this, the salaries for security and cleaning staff..."

"... the maintenance of various facilities, such as landscaping, water systems, landscape lighting, elevators, equipment rooms, etc., plus the water and electricity costs for public areas—the annual investment is not small."

"Even if we set it at fifty cents, if Yuxi Property can break even in six to eight years, I'll be thanking the heavens."

There were some things Zhou Andong didn't say, which was that this fifty cents covered all expenses.

In his previous life, those property management companies, besides the property fee...

... elevator fees, public stairwell electricity, garage management fees, and sanitation fees—all sorts of messy charges were collected separately.

In Zhou Andong's view, this was the property companies acting like thugs, but as the vulnerable group, the common people had no choice but to compromise.

Therefore, in this life, as long as it is a project developed by Yuxi, public area sharing must be abolished.

And Yuxi Property will only serve projects developed in-house and must charge reasonable fees.

He doesn't expect the property company to make much money; as long as it can break even, that's enough.

Wu Huilin walked over and said: "Property management—not to mention the people of Jiangzhou, even most people in the country are still unfamiliar with it. It suddenly appeared, and on top of that, they have to pay money every year. I reckon the employees will find it hard to accept."

"As long as it's explained clearly, they will understand." Zhou Andong said with a smile: "After all, the factory's wages aren't low, not to mention there are annual dividends, and the factory reimburses most of it for them anyway."

"Clap, clap, clap..."

The office door was knocked on, and Wu Huilin called out.

"Come in!"

Du Chun pushed the door open, and seeing Zhou Andong and Gu Bing both there, he was stunned for a moment, then immediately started laughing.

"The Chairman is here too. Perfect, you tell them what property management is and why they have to pay money every year."

Du Chun came in, followed by five employees—three men and two women. They hadn't expected the Chairman to be there, and they suddenly became a bit nervous.

A middle-aged woman tugged at her collar: "Chairman, Director Wu, Director Gu, we just don't know what this property management is about and why we have to pay money every year."

"Don't be nervous!" Zhou Andong pointed to the sofa and said with a smile: "Sit down!"

Several people sat down, and Zhou Andong sat opposite them, taking out cigarettes to hand one to each of the three male employees.

"Property management is there to serve you."

One male employee took out a lighter and lit Zhou Andong's cigarette.

Zhou Andong took a puff and explained why property management charges fees.

"Property management is a service enterprise that you hire with your money."

"Understood." A young man nodded: "If we don't pay, none of the facilities can operate, and we wouldn't even be able to use the elevators."

"You could say that." Zhou Andong said: "You bought a house; if you want to maintain the operation of this small family, you need to turn on lights to watch TV, cook meals—don't you have to pay electricity and water bills?"

"And for the maintenance of all facilities in the residential complex, including public sanitation, water and electricity for green spaces, and the electricity and maintenance for elevators, don't you also have to pay money to hire people to provide the service?"

"You are the owners of the complex, riding the elevators to and from work. In the morning, you run and exercise on Sakura Avenue; in the evening, you walk downstairs, smelling the flowers, watching the fountains, and taking your children to play in the recreation area, enjoying the beautiful environment of the complex—yet you don't want to pay maintenance fees. Who do you want to pay for it?"

The five people nodded one after another; once put this way, they understood.

"The house is a small family; the residential complex is a big family." Zhou Andong took the ashtray and flicked the ash: "Maintaining the small family depends on you as individuals; maintaining the big family requires everyone to work together..."

"We understand." The middle-aged woman stood up: "We're leaving now."

The other four also stood up and followed the middle-aged woman out.

"I didn't expect that property management is actually there to serve us; this money really does need to be paid."

"If we don't pay, the complex won't be able to function. No one will prune the trees, no one will water the flowers, no one will clean the sanitation, and we won't even be able to ride the elevators. I can't accept that."

"Just like the Chairman said, this is our home. If we don't pay to maintain it, can outsiders pay for us?"

"..."

The crowd at the main gate grew larger and larger, discussing in groups of three or five. The most discussed topic was property management.

Suddenly someone shouted: "They're back."

Those who heard it in the surrounding area swarmed over in a rush.

"How was it?"

"What exactly is this property management?"

"Why do we have to pay money every year?"

"..."

Everyone was talking at once, and it looked very chaotic.

"Everyone quiet down!" The young man shouted at the top of his lungs.

Slowly, the noisy scene quieted down.

The young man looked at the other four: "Who's going to say it?"

"Stop dawdling." The middle-aged woman said impatiently: "You just say it."

"Alright!"

The young man cleared his throat and explained in detail what property management was and why it was necessary to pay every year.

Based on a 100-square-meter house, a property fee of twenty cents per square meter is only 240 yuan a year.

For the current liquor factory employees, it really doesn't amount to much, and after the young man's explanation, everyone understood completely.

"So that's how it is; this money really does need to be paid."

"After the factory's reimbursement, half a month's salary is more than enough."

"For the sake of having a beautiful living and residential environment for ourselves, this money is worth paying."

"..."