(reprint from email to all members in December, 2015)
RAHB’s monthly service fee (“Flat Fee”) is assessed on a cost recovery basis and is subject to revision according to the increase or decrease in costs incurred by RAHB to provide MLS® and MLS®-related services to members.
As per policy, [at the end of last year] the Finance Committee completed a review of expenses related to the monthly service fee for 2016 and recommended a two dollar increase, primarily due to:
• increases in the cost of services provided by Teranet
• pressure from the weak Canadian dollar for services billed in US dollars
As a result of these factors, the Board of Directors approved that the monthly service fee be increased from $42 to $44 per month, effective January 1, 2016. [The fee increase appeared on the January invoice you received on February 1.]
Please note this increase is only for your monthly service fee and not for your RAHB membership dues (“RAHB Quarterly Dues”), which will remain the same in 2016.
Will this increase be reduced when we become part of the 8000 strong new MLS Matrix system? Has the Board ever increased the service fee before without coming to the membership?
I can’t speak for the Board of Directors regarding what will happen to fees in the future. Service fees are approved by the Board and have never gone to the membership for approval. They are also dictated by the cost recovery policy and change as the costs of services change. The fees were actually reduced in 2014 to reflect the costs of services. If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact President, Kim Alvarez or CEO, George O’Neill.