THE COMPANIES ACTS 2006
COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE AND NOT HAVING
A SHARE CAPITAL
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF
EASTERN LANDLORDS ASSOCIATION COMPANY NUMBER 03468194
INTERPRETATION
1.In these articles:
"the Association" means the company intended to be regulated by these articles
"the Act" means the Companies Act 2006 including any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force;
"the Articles" means these Articles of Association
"clear days" in relation to the period of a notice means the period excluding the day when the notice is given or deemed to be given and the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect;
"office" means the registered office of the Association;
"poll" means a method of voting upon any Resolution put to a meeting of the Members where Members are each entitled to cast one vote;
"the Seal" means the common seal of the Association if it has one;
"Secretary" means the secretary of the Association or any other person appointed to perform the duties of the secretary of the Association, including a joint, assistant or deputy secretary;
"the Executive Committee" means the Board of Directors of the Association (and "Executive" has a corresponding meaning);
"the United Kingdom" means Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and
words importing the masculine gender only shall include the feminine gender.
Subject as aforesaid, works or expressions contained in these Articles shall, unless the context requires otherwise, bear the same meaning as in the Act.
MEMBERS
2.(1)The subscribers to the Memorandum of Association shall be members of the Eastern Landlords Association being a company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales under company number 03468194.
(2)Any other person or corporation desiring to become a member must sign and return to the Secretary an application form together with such other information as the Association may from time to time determine. Admission to membership shall be in accordance with a procedure to be prescribed by the Executive Committee from time to time. The Executive Committee have absolute discretion as to whether or not to accept an application for membership.
3.The rights and privileges of a member shall not be transferable and a member shall cease to be a member of the Association:, -
(1)Upon giving notice in writing to the Secretary that he resigns his membership;
(2)Upon his dying, becoming of unsound mind, bankrupt or compounding with his creditors;
(3)Upon having a winding up resolution passed or order made for its winding up or a receiver being appointed for any of its assets;
(4)If his annual subscription or any other sum or sums due have not been paid for a period of one month from the date upon which they became due. The Executive Committee shall have the power to suspend the implementation of this clause in special cases. The Executive Committee may, at their absolute discretion, re-admit a person who has ceased to be a member by reason of this clause, on such conditions as the Executive Committee shall think fit.
(5)If it is resolved by a majority of the members present and entitled to vote at any General Meeting of the Association, in favour of the cessation of membership of a member. Such resolution shall be put forward by the Executive Committee and shall not be passed unless a member has been given at least 21 clear days notice of the fact that the ordinary resolution is to be proposed and has been informed of the misconduct or other circumstances alleged to justify any expulsion, and has been given a reasonable opportunity of making his representations either verbally to such General Meeting or in writing to the Secretary prior to such Meeting.
(6)If members lend money to the Association then interest on money lent by a member or Executive shall not exceed the rate of 4 per cent per annum above the published base lending rate of Barclays Bank Plc;
(7)Every member of the Association undertakes to contribute such amount as may be required (not exceeding £10) to the Association’s assets if it should be wound up while he or she is a member or within one year after he or she ceases to be a member, for payment of the Association’s debts and liabilities contracted before he or she ceases to be a member, and of the costs, charges and expenses of winding up, and for the adjustment of the rights of the contributories among themselves.
(8)If the Association is wound up or dissolved and after all its debts and liabilities have been satisfied there remains a surplus ofassets orproperty then any such surplus ofassets and property if they havenot already realised in cash, shall be sold and the proceeds of such sale then converted in cash andtogether with all other assets then held, be distributed in equal shares between those members who both (i)hold a valid current membership at the date ofthe dissolution or winding up; and (ii)have been membersin each of the 5membership years which immediately proceed the date of winding up ordissolution.
GENERAL MATTERS
- The Association shall hold an annual general meeting each year in addition to any other meetings in that year, and shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it; and not more than fifteen months shall elapse between the date of one annual general meeting of the Association and that of the next: Provided that so long as the Association holds its first annual general meeting within eighteen months of its incorporation, it need not hold it in the year of its incorporation or in the following year. The annual general meeting shall be held at such times and places as the Executive Committee shall appoint. All general meetings other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings.
- The Executive Committee may call general meetings, and on the requisition of members pursuant to the provisions of the Act, shall forthwith proceed to convene an extraordinary general meeting for a date not later than eight weeks after receipt of the requisition. If there are not within the United Kingdom sufficient Executives to call a general meeting, any Executive or any member of the Association may call a general meeting.
- The Association is established to:-
(a) to represent the general views of the members to local authorities, national authorities, parliament and any other body which has jurisdiction over an interest in the letting of private properties;
(b)to provide a forum for consideration of matters relating to the letting of private properties and to promote a professional standard of practice and conduct by all its members for the benefit of the private rented sector as a whole;
(c)to consider any matters which affect private landlords in general and to promote such actions that will benefit the members and safeguard their interests consistent with the maintenance of professional standards of conduct;
(d)to provide mutual advice and assistance to members in connection with problems relating to the letting of properties;
(e)to promote the professional standing of the Association within the private rented sector;
(f)to provide and support such social and charitable events as the Association may decide;
(g)the doing of all such other things as are incidental or conducive.
- The Association may exercise the following powers:-
(a)to draw, make, accept, endorse, discount, execute and issue promissory notes, bills, cheques and other instruments, and to operate bank accounts in the name of the Association;
(b)to obtain, collect and receive money and funds by way of contribution, donations, affiliation fees, subscriptions, legacies, grants and/or any other lawful method in raising funds for its primary purposes;
(c)to acquire, alter improve and (subject to such consents as may be required by law) to charge or otherwise dispose of property;
(d)to federate or amalgamate with, affiliate or become affiliated to or co-operate with any body having the same or similar objects and to acquire and undertake all or any part of the assets, liabilities and engagements of any such body which the Association may lawfully acquire or undertake;
(e)to arrange and enter into any policies of insurance or assurance or any contracts or agreements to protect service or safeguard the property or interests of the Association;
(f)to borrow or raise or secure the payment of money in such a manner as the Association shall fit for the purposes of or in connection with the Association’s activities and for the purposes of or in connection with the borrowing or raising of money by the Association to become a member of any building society;
(g)to receive money on deposit or loan upon such terms as the Association may approve;
(h)to invest and deal with the monies of the Association not immediately required for the purposes of its activities in or upon such investments or securities and in such manner as may from time to time be determined.
(i)to establish or promote or concur in establishing or promoting any other company whose objects shall include the acquisition and taking over of all or any of the assets and liabilities of the Association or the promotion of which shall be in any manner calculated to advance directly or indirectly the objects or interests of the Association and to acquire or hold or dispose of shares, stock or securities and guarantee the payment of dividends, interest or capital of any shares, stock or securities issued by or other obligations of any such company;
(j)to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire and hold shares, stock, debentures or securities of any other company;
(k)to do all such lawful things as are incidental or conducive;
- The income and property of the Association shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the Objects and no part shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise by way of profit, to members of the Association, provided that nothing in this document shall prevent any payment in good faith by the Association:
(1)of the usual professional charges for business done by any Executive who is a solicitor, accountant, printer or other person engaged in a profession or by any partner of his or hers, when instructed by the Association to act in a professional capacity on its behalf: provided that at no time shall a majority of the Executives benefit under this provision and that an Executive shall withdraw from any meeting at which his or her appointment or that of his or her appointment or that of his or her partner, is under discussion;
(2)of reasonable and proper remuneration for any services rendered to the Association by any member, officer or servant of the Association;
(3)of fees, remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth to any company of which an Executive may also be a member holding not more than 1/100th part of the issued capital of that Company;
(4)of reasonable and proper rent for premises demised or let by any member of the Company or an Executive;
(5)to any Executive of reasonable out-of pocket expenses, and attendance allowances as approved by the Association from time to time.
- Every member of the Association undertakes to contribute such amount as may be required (not exceeding £10) to the Association’s assets if it should be wound up while he or she is a member or within one year after he or she ceases to be a member, for payment of the Association’s debts and liabilities contracted before he or she ceases to be a member, and of the costs, charges and expenses of winding up, and for the adjustment of the rights of the contributories among themselves.
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
10.An annual general meeting and an extraordinary general meeting called for the passing of a special resolution shall be called by at least twenty-one clear days' notice. All other extraordinary general meetings shall be called by at least fourteen clear days' notice but a general meeting may be called by shorter notice if it is so agreed:
(1)in the case of an annual general meeting, by all the members entitled to attend and vote; and
(2)in the case of any other meeting by a majority in number of members having a right to attend and vote, being a majority together holding not less than 95 per cent of the total voting rights at the meeting of all the members.
The notice shall specify the time and place of the meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted and, in the case of an annual general meeting, shall specify the meeting as such.
The notice shall be given to all the members and to the Executive Committee.
11.The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non-receipt of notice of a meeting by, any person entitled to receive notice shall not invalidate the proceedings at that meeting.
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
12.No business shall be transacted at any meeting unless a quorum is present. The quorum for annual general meetings shall be thirty members.
13.If a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting, or if during a meeting a quorum ceases to be present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and place or to such time and place as the Executive Committee may determine.
15.The chairman, if any, of the Executive Committee or in his absence any vice-chairman or in such persons absence some other Executive nominated by the Executive Committee shall preside as chairman of the meeting, but if neither the chairman nor such other Executive (if any) be present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting and willing to act, the members present shall elect one of their number to be chairman and, if there is only one Executive present and willing to act, he shall be chairman.
16.If no Executive is willing to act as chairman, or if no Executive is present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the members present and entitled to vote shall choose one of their number to be chairman.
17.The chairman may, with the consent of a meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting), adjourn the meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at an adjourned meeting other than business which might properly have been transacted at the meeting had adjournment not taken place. When a meeting is adjourned for fourteen days or more, at least seven clear days' notice shall be given specifying the time and place of the adjourned meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted. Otherwise it shall not be necessary to give any such notice.
18.A resolution put to the vote of a meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless before, or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands, a poll is duly demanded. Subject to the provisions of the Act, a poll may be demanded:
(1)by the chairman; or
(2)by at least two members having the right to vote at the meeting.
19.Unless a poll is duly demanded a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has been carried or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or lost or not carried by a particular majority and an entry to that effect in the minutes of the meeting shall be conclusive evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against the resolution.
20.The demand for a poll may be withdrawn, before the poll is taken, but only with the consent of the chairman. The withdrawal of a demand for a poll shall not invalidate the result of a show of hands declared before the demand for the poll was made.
21.A poll shall be taken as the chairman directs and he may appoint scrutineers (who need not be members) and fix a time and place for declaring the results of the poll. The result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll is demanded.
22.In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the chairman shall be entitled to have a casting vote in addition to any other vote he may have.
23.A poll demanded on the election of a chairman or on a question of adjournment shall be taken immediately. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken either immediately or at such time and place as the chairman directs not being more than thirty days after the poll is demanded. The demand for a poll shall not prevent continuance of a meeting for the transaction of any business other than the question on which the poll is demanded. If a poll is demanded before the declaration of the result of a show of hands and the demand is duly withdrawn, the meeting shall continue as if the demand had not been made.
24.No notice need be given of a poll not taken immediately if the time and place at which it is to be taken are announced at the meeting at which it is demanded. In other cases at least seven clear days' notice shall be given specifying the time and place at which the poll is to be taken.
VOTES OF MEMBERS
25.Subject to Article 16, every member present, in person, or by proxy shall have one vote.
26.No member shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting unless all moneys then payable by him to the Association have been paid.
27.No objection shall be raised to the qualification of any voter except at the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the vote objected to is tendered, and every vote not disallowed at the meeting shall be valid. Any objection made in due time shall be referred to the chairman whose decision shall be final and conclusive.