As a shareholder, it's in your rights to ask to see documentation explaining this increase. You can also see if board minutes explained the increase prior to making the decision (you could've seen these before buying, too).

If you think the fuel charge is uncalled for, now that fuel prices have sunk, you can attend a board meeting and bring this up as a challenge. Better yet would be to talk to neighbors about this.

You should investigate though, because there may be another possibility: If your board is failing to collect monthly fees from some shareholders, or has a heavy debt because of liens or unpaid past fees, they may be taxing unfairly the debt load on the paying shareholders. That is cause for concern, and yes, it might be improper if not illegal. Getting on the board is essential to having the power to change things. Maintenance seldom goes down, but if you can change other rules in the bylaws, such as flip taxes, it can defray rising costs. If you need help, contact Member Services at the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, or UHAB. They help shareholders ensure their buildings stay in financially healthy positions. We offer free training on record-keeping and can train boards to keep better account of expenditures.

Depends on what is addressed in the Building By-laws which were put there for those types of situations. They must be accountablity for the increase.

At work you receive cost of living increases yearly. Justifiable because your expenses increase. The expenses of a cooperative to run the building also goes up (e.g. Super's salary, building insurance, etc.). So, as these things go up so must the maintenance.

Typically increases are yearly and yes they may add a heating surcharge if the heating season utilities (oil and electric) charges are excessive for the building; usually it is mentions this fact the "by laws" .Consider it a cost of ownership increase, so keep extra cash available in the winter time just in case.