Roles in a house building cooperative

A house building cooperative must consist of a board with a chair and at least two board members. In addition, at least one deputy board member is to be elected. It is the general meeting that elects the board, but it may be stated in the articles of association that the electoral rights is to be transferred to others. More than half of the board members must nevertheless be elected by the general meeting, unless the electoral right has been transferred to a statutory body. The electoral rights cannot be transferred to the board or to a board member.

The board elects its chair if the general meeting has not done so. The general manager cannot be the chair of the board, but may be elected as a member of the board.

When you register a board, you have to attach

• minutes of the general meeting showing the election

New board members must sign the form Coordinated register notification.

Gender representation in the board

If the house building cooperative has more than 1,000 unit owners at the time of the election, both sexes shall be represented when the board has two or three members. Both sexes should be represented by at least

• two when the board has four or five members
• three when the board has six to eight members
• four when the board has nine members
• 40 per cent when the board has more than nine members

The rules apply correspondingly to the election of deputy board members. Board members and deputy board members shall be considered separately.

When electing two or several employee’s representatives, both sexes should be represented. The same applies to their deputy board members. Board members and deputy board members shall be considered separately

Please note that if one of the sexes accounts for less than 20 per cent of the total number of employees in the house building cooperative at the time of the election, the rules on gender representation do not apply among the board members and deputy board members. You must then confirm that the share is below 20 per cent.

A house building cooperative must have one or several state-authorised auditors. The general meeting elects the auditor and the auditor must confirm that he or she takes on the assignment.

When you are to register an auditor, you have to attach

• the minutes from the general meeting showing the election

The auditor must confirm that they have taken on the assignment in the form Coordinated register notification.

The house building cooperative can choose to have an accountant.

It is only possible to register authorised accountants who are registered in the Register of Accountants.

The accountant must confirm that they have taken on the assignment.

A house building cooperative is obliged to have a general manager who is employed by the board.

The general manager must be a natural person who is 15 years of age or older.

Signature is an authorisation to act and sign on behalf of the house building cooperative  in all circumstances.

Basically, the board jointly has signature. The board can assign signature rights to board members or the general manager or named persons, either separately or jointly.

If some of the board members have not signed the coordinated register notification, you must attach the minutes from the board meeting showing the decision of those who are to be assigned signature.

Power of procuration is an authorisation to act and sign on behalf of the house building cooperative, associated with the daily operations. The proxy cannot encumber or sell the enterprise’s real property.

The board can issue power of procuration to one or more people. If there are several people, you must state whether they are empowered to use it separately or jointly. Limitations beyond this, for instance connected to time or amount, cannot be registered.

Powers of procuration can be withdrawn by the board at any time.