Condo owners rights?
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Condo owners rights? (by warren631 [PA]) Jan 23, 2014 9:55 AM
       Condo owners rights? (by George [NJ]) Jan 23, 2014 10:00 AM
       Condo owners rights? (by Moshe [CA]) Jan 23, 2014 10:36 AM
       Condo owners rights? (by CarolJ [CA]) Jan 23, 2014 10:38 AM
       Condo owners rights? (by Cal [NY]) Jan 23, 2014 12:09 PM
       Condo owners rights? (by Mike45 [NV]) Jan 23, 2014 1:00 PM
       Condo owners rights? (by Wilma [PA]) Jan 24, 2014 9:17 AM


Condo owners rights? (by warren631 [PA]) Posted on: Jan 23, 2014 9:55 AM
Message:

Are there any laws regarding condo owners rights? In my condo development (in PA) of about 200 townhouses they never plow the snow off the streets. I send the condo fee to a local real estate agent office but I don't know who is the condo manager or what their phone number is. There has never been a condo owners meeting where I could complain or try to get elected to the board (if there is one). Where do I find my rights and what should I do? Shall I withhold my condo fee or put it in escrow each month until the snow is plowed? As far as I know, one guy could be pocketing the condo fees each month. I have asked my neighbors but none of them know anything about a 'condo owners association' here. --72.95.xx.xxx




Condo owners rights? (by George [NJ]) Posted on: Jan 23, 2014 10:00 AM
Message:

When you bought it you should have received a ton of paperwork on the hoa. Is there an onsite office / maintenance staff? --76.6.xx.xx




Condo owners rights? (by Moshe [CA]) Posted on: Jan 23, 2014 10:36 AM
Message:

I don't know anything about PA, but ...

Are there any laws regarding condo owners rights?

I am sure that there is an act which sets up the ability to register separate ownership of units in a shared-interest development. Such an act would almost surely require setting up some management entity and regulate owner participation in that entity.

There has never been a condo owners meeting where I could complain or try to get elected to the board (if there is one).

I don't believe that. Check the above-mentioned legislative act. It probably makes some requirements that the development is to be run by an association of owners, and probably makes some rules about how often they must meet (surely, at least once per year). Your state Dept of Real Estate may be able to point you toward the act.

Sue your real estate agent if you did not receive a copy of the condominium source declarations and the association by-laws when you bought the place. They will spell out the details of when the Board is required to meet, where, and how members are to be notified. It is likely that these documents are recorded in your local recordation office.

Shall I withhold my condo fee or put it in escrow each month until the snow is plowed?

I wouldn't do that. If you fail to pay your assessment (even an escrowed amount) the Board of Directors can probably place a lien of the property, and foreclose on it.

--98.112.xxx.xxx




Condo owners rights? (by CarolJ [CA]) Posted on: Jan 23, 2014 10:38 AM
Message:

Read your CC&Rs. You don't have any rights except to pay whatever they decide you'll pay, cough up whatever special assessment they deem necessary, bow down to the condo police, be fined for stupid things, and have a lien placed on your property when they get you sued over a dispute with a contractor. --71.177.xx.xx




Condo owners rights? (by Cal [NY]) Posted on: Jan 23, 2014 12:09 PM
Message:

I would contact the RE Office - someone is getting paid. I'm a little surprised that you pay a condo fee but never have a meeting, don't know who is on the board or anything about it.

I own a condo and although it is out of the state of where I actually live I still receive emails and paperwork from them about meetings, budget, etc. You have a voice via the owners association.

If you aren't an owner however - that is a different story. The owner has that information. Are you renting this condo and you are paying your "fee" to the RE Office who is actually PMing the actual unit for the owner?

Either way I would contact the RE Office and find out who the PM is - and explain to them that things need to be taken care of PDQ. IF you are actually an owner then you have even bigger issues - again, the RE Office should have that info and if not - get your attorney on it (or go door to door at the place and find out who the owners are and ask them ALL).

Something smells a little fishy with this one. --74.78.xxx.xxx




Condo owners rights? (by Mike45 [NV]) Posted on: Jan 23, 2014 1:00 PM
Message:

I do not know about PA, but the three states I have owned reqal property in each has a set of laws dealing with common interest subdivisions which require lots of procedural niceties -- annual HOA meetings for the owners, periodic Board meetings with owner-comment periods, annual financial reporting, etc.

If you are an owner, you should get a copy of the CCRs (Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions) for your complex, as a starting place.

--184.6.xxx.xxx




Condo owners rights? (by Wilma [PA]) Posted on: Jan 24, 2014 9:17 AM
Message:

If you're the owner, then you should be getting at least yearly notifications from the HOA (I've belonged to one here in PA for many years for my one sfh). But there has occasionally been a foul-up by a realtor, who never fulfilled their role of go-between; giving new info to the HOA, and giving the new owner the by-laws and covenants. I can still remember one new neighbor standing wide-eyed and saying, "You mean that I have to pay 500 bucks a year to live here?" He got on the realtor's case, and I think they paid the first year for him.

I agree, talk to the realtor! --71.175.xxx.xx





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