Among the multiple price increases that the pockets of the population have to face are the costs for those living in apartments. In January, the average of these expenses – which include salaries, services, purchasing, security, cleaning, maintenance and professional fees, among other costs- recorded increases of around 10%, according to various measurements of the consortium administrators. However, in the annual accumulation, The increase remains lower than inflation.
According to data from the administrations that settle their expenses with ConsorcioAbierto.com, the increase in expenses in properties located in the City of Buenos Aires in the first month of 2024 was on average 11.61%. In this area, the average expenses on buildings (excluding debts) amounted to $93,706 per month. Compared to the amount corresponding to January 2023, the increase was 175.93%.
This survey was conducted based on information from over 10,000 consortia and brands. important price gaps depending on the different areas of the country. For example, in the province of Buenos Aires, the average expenditure on buildings (again excluding debt) was $37,827 in January. This represented a 12.23% monthly increase and 174.34% year-over-year increase.
In Cordoba, the cost on expenses was $34,277, while a year ago that value was $12,867. In Santa Fe, the monthly construction expense amount was similar: $33,445 in January. It’s inside Among the rivers, the value of average expenses of $22,724. In this case, the increase on a monthly basis was 30.98% and 236% compared to a year ago.
“It doesn’t surprise anyone that spending, given inflation, will continue to increase. In this context, in order for neighbors to be able to monitor expenditure and analyze its evolution, it is necessary for them to do so traceability of consortium expenses. That is, being able to follow and understand in detail how the funds are used. It’s like having a detailed map that shows exactly what your money is spent on and why. It is important to ensure that it is administered correctly and transparently,” commented Albano Laiuppa, director of ConsorcioAbierto.com.
According to data managed by the Octopus PropTech platform, -120,000 administrations throughout the national territory- January expenses increased by 9.08%, a value that is 11.52 points lower than inflation.
According to these documents, the average value of household expenditure last month was $66,618. When it comes to making an interannual parallel, the numbers reflect that since 2023 there has been an adjustment of the 181.45%, located below inflation, which amounted to 211.4%, according to INDEC.
“This year, similar behavior to that of 2023 is expected. This means that expenses are adjusted for inflation. We see that the increases are always a little slower than the CPI. In fact, they have CPI-reactive behavior. That’s why we see it slightly below inflation,” says Nicolás Baccigalupo, CEO of Octopus PropTech.
According to the representative of the platform, “perhaps if there is a moment of greater stability and lower inflation we will see that the expenses will be adjusted even a little above the CPI, so that the suppliers, who had expired, recover a a little,” he noted. .
What happens to the salaries of condominium administrators?
According to Octopus data, in the responsible consortia, the weight of the cost of labour, corresponding to the number one expense item in the January CABA, is by 30.08%
¨Among the expenses that make up the cost of a consortium, the main one – which historically updates inexorably in line with inflation – is the remuneration of those responsible. They have one of the strongest unions in the country (SUTERH). AS, It is the area that updates the fastest if we compare it with other items or suppliers, such as administrative costs, a plumber, a gas fitter, the fumigation company, among others. The latter are easily replaceable items, so their bargaining power is quite low,” he explains.
According to Baccigalupo, as a trend, “most of the new and small buildings, with three or four floors, They avoid hiring a manager, instead opting for recurring cleaning services. This strategy, while reducing working hours, eliminates the direct dependence relationship with the consortium. “This decision could create further complications if the contract needs to be terminated,” he says.
Source: Clarin
