The Cottage Rules
An Owner’s Guide to the Rights & Responsibilities of Sharing Recreational Property
Nikki Koski
Self-Counsel Press
(a division of)
International Self-Counsel Press Ltd.
USA Canada
Copyright © 2014
International Self-Counsel Press
All rights reserved.
Creed
We are dedicated to preserving
our cottaging lifestyle,
through cooperation with each other
and acceptance of our differences.
We live our cottage days
with respect, encouragement,
and generosity.
The sun shall rise on calm waters,
the loons shall call their lonely song,
and we shall stand together in spirit
to savor the tranquility
we have found.
Simple Life
Shingles, thatch and gingerbread
Smooth rock, sea and stone
Sandy, cliff or pebble beach
Small, all, wide sprawl, home
Waves lap, loons call
Gaze at the sky, and wonder
Porches, paths and towering tree
Docks, rocks, hills and then thunder
Misty mornings, slowly wake
Coffee on the porch
Muskoka, Bermuda, adirondack, twig
A quilt in reader’s corner
Heat wave, cold snap
Sauna, wood piled high
Kindling, logs, a match to paper
Smoke and flames ignite
Secret hideout, bunky, boathouse
A stroll if you a able
With pup in hand, down nature’s path
Wildflowers for our table.
by Nikki Koski
Introduction
My family has owned our cottage for more than 30 years. It is the one place that has been a constant for us. The grandchildren can’t remember a time without it and we can’t imagine our lives without it. We always said our father had found the secret to a good life: Surround yourself with loved ones and do the things that make you happy. Go to the cottage!
When I was growing up, many of my friends’ families also had cottages, and my contemporaries are now sharing their parents’ cottages. In today’s market, vacation/recreational property prices are on the rise and the availability of recreational property is on the decline, making the cost of owning a second home out of reach for many people. How many times have you wished you could just get away but thought you couldn’t afford it? It always seems that our desires exceed our pocketbooks by just enough to prevent our dreams from becoming a reality. This book will help you achieve your cottage dreams by providing simple steps for forming a partnership to share the costs of operating a cottage. Whether with family members or with friends, if you follow the cornerstones of our system, they will guide you to your own successful partnership!
If your family already owns a cottage, you may have considered how it could be run in the future. Perhaps you have visions of your cottage staying in the family for generations! Having a structured plan for shared use is crucial.
Many people tried to discourage our family from sharing our cottage.We all heard horror stories of families bickering or worse, not speaking— all because of a cottage. A family cottage can hold many intense emotional ties. If only one member of a family inherits it, the other siblings are reduced to begging at the door. Our cottage agreement is a straightforward, helpful way to avoid such stress. It will work not only for people inheriting a cottage but also for those who either can’t afford recreational property on their own or who choose to share a retreat with like-minded friends.
The breadth and width of variations for cottage ownerships are astounding. Although the cottages may vary, the people and their needs stay the same: we love to get away. We need somewhere to go where we will feel in touch with nature. Somewhere where everything doesn’t have to be perfect; where “good enough” will do.
Why Use These Rules?
The relationships of the people that share cottages are a mixture —some are family and some are acquaintances. (My husband shares a hunting camp with ten partners!)
This book and the accompanying paperwork set out a no-nonsense, easy-to-use guideline that deals with everything from succession to laundry. The rules work to prevent potential conflicts, so your relationship with your partners can be as close as two peas or as distant as strangers.Sharing the cottage is made simple with the power of The Cottage Rules !
Who Can Use These Rules?
• Parents planning to will their cottage to the children.
• Parents planning a partnership with the children (before passing away).
• Children easing their parents’ minds about the future use of the cottage.
• Partners forming a sporting/hunting camp.
• Friends or acquaintances purchasing a cottage, chalet, beach house, condo, or other recreational property together.
I think it is important to note that although The Cottage Rules were initially written for a mostly summer use lake-front property, these rules are applicable to any type of vacation or recreational
