Charges

House Charges

While ICC Charges are voted on by the Board of Directors, house charges are voted on by the house and give members more financial autonomy. House members decide on which expenses shall be shared and covered by the house that term. If house spending goes over budget, members will be charged an assessment and if spending is under budget, members will receive a rebate. These charges typically include:

• Food and Supplies: Such as ingredients for house meals and staples for personal consumption. Supplies may include toilet paper, plastic wrap, cleaning supplies, and other goods that are consumed relatively quickly.
• Maintenance: Such as paint, lightbulbs, and smaller maintenance items that are not covered by central ICC maintenance.
• Social Events & Education: Such as streamers, decorations, or fliers for house social events, or informational supplies. [No alcohol can be purchased with these funds.]
• Miscellaneous. Such as streaming content (Netflix, Hulu, etc.), periodicals, or other house expenses (like Linder’s chickens).
• Amenities. Members can choose to contribute to their house Amenities Fund as a part of their house charges. In addition to their monthly contribution, these funds are filled through missed work fines set at the house level. To use the House Amenities Fund, a house votes on the purchase with the requirement being it must last more than a couple of years, e.g., kitchen gadget, massage chair, or ballpit.

2024-25 Charges Information

When Do I Pay My Charges?

Charges are always due on the 1s​t​ of the month, and $15 late fines are assessed on the 6th​ if their account balance is over $50. If a member owes more than $50 to the ICC by the 15th of the month they may have eviction proceedings brought against them, unless they have an approved payment plan.

Payment Plans

Payment plans are designed to assist members who experience a temporary financial disruption to continue paying charges and secure their housing. Payment plans do not release you from any charges, they can only facilitate a temporary, alternative payment schedule.

Members are encouraged to apply before accruing debt if they are expecting a disruption. If a member does not pay by the 15th and does not file a payment plan, the ICC will begin eviction procedures. If the eviction proceeds to legal action, any associated costs will be assessed to the member. Eviction procedures can be stopped by being approved for a payment plan.

Members can apply for one payment plan each term (Spring/Summer, Fall, and Winter) by filling out the application form on the Member Forms page, under Finance Forms. If they are applying before the 20th of the first month of the term (May, September, or January), they are a Window 1 applicant. Otherwise they are a Window 2 applicant.

Window 1 applicants must reduce their balance to 50% of their monthly ICC and House Charges by the 28th of the second month of the term (June, October, or February), and reduce their balance to $0 by the 28th of the third month of the term (July, November, or March).

Window 2 applicants must reduce their balance to 50% of their monthly ICC and House Charges by the 28th of the third month of the term (July, November, or March), and reduce their balance to $0 by the final day of the contract period. If a member applies for a payment plan after the 28th of the third month, they must pay their whole balance by the end of the term, but there are no other deadlines.

The member will receive a credit for any late fines accrued during the payment plan if they successfully complete the payment plan. Members do not have to pay these fines to meet the 50% charge or $0 balance due dates (e.g. if you are a Winter term Window 1 applicant with monthly charges of $860 and accrue February late fees, your balance must be reduced to $445 on February 28th, $860 / 2 + the $15 late fee that will be removed). Any late fines posted before the member applies will not be credited and must be included in the payment plan.

If a member misses a deadline by more than three business days they will be fined $20 and the ICC will begin eviction procedures. If a member’s situation changes after being approved for a payment plan and anticipates difficulty complying with their plan, they should reach out to the VP of Finance at vp.finance@icc.coop as soon as possible.

An example payment plan is detailed below:

• An applicant applies on the 4th of January for a winter term payment plan; their total house and ICC charges are $850 each month, they have no prior balance, and they have made no payments yet this term (current balance is $850). By February 28th (second month of the term), their balance must be below 50% of $850 ($425), and they must reduce their balance to $0 by March 28th. The payments can be broken up into multiple smaller payments, as long as the balance is reduced to the required amount by the date required. Their payment schedule would look like this:

The payments can be broken down however the member wants, as long as they meet the deadlines. The applicant’s actual balance at the end of the term would be $45 (January, February, and March late fees), however these would be credited once they meet the final deadline. Any chore fines would need to be paid as they are applied.

A similar example for a member applying for a window 2 payment plan:

• An applicant applies on the 10th of February for a winter term payment plan; their total house and ICC charges are $850 each month, and their current balance is $865 ($850 February charges plus a $15 late fee). By March 28th (third month of the term), their balance must be below 50% of $850 ($425), and they must reduce their balance to $0 by May 4th (last day of the term). Their payment schedule could look like this: