Condo Association not taking care of property

[cyncorp]

When I purchased my condo, I was told the my monthly dues would go to pay a property manager, maintenance, insurance, etc. and the property would be taken care of in a first class manner. The Association has poorly managed the property and my dues have gone from $217 - $450 a month for a 1,000 SF condo. This is ludicrous. The Association let the maintenance man go, as well as the office manager, and does not maintain the property whatsoever. They do not even water the landscaping, so it is dying and affecting the foundation of buildings. I have had yearly assessments each year and nothing has been fixed. They repair a few buildings, but never get to my building. I have already had to hire an attorney to make the Association replace my back porch that rotted out. They were also ordered to replace the landscaping, but nothing has been done.

What can I do about the Association? Even hiring after winning a lawsuit, the Association just tells me they have no money to fix the landscaping.

I would appreciate your advice.

[HomeGuru]

Originally Posted by cyncorp

When I purchased my condo, I was told the my monthly dues would go to pay a property manager, maintenance, insurance, etc. and the property would be taken care of in a first class manner. The Association has poorly managed the property and my dues have gone from $217 - $450 a month for a 1,000 SF condo. This is ludicrous. The Association let the maintenance man go, as well as the office manager, and does not maintain the property whatsoever. They do not even water the landscaping, so it is dying and affecting the foundation of buildings. I have had yearly assessments each year and nothing has been fixed. They repair a few buildings, but never get to my building. I have already had to hire an attorney to make the Association replace my back porch that rotted out. They were also ordered to replace the landscaping, but nothing has been done.

What can I do about the Association? Even hiring after winning a lawsuit, the Association just tells me they have no money to fix the landscaping.

I would appreciate your advice.

**A: better get as many condo owners together and hire an attorney.

[JWL]

Where is the condo and what are there extenuating circumstances?

For example, I'm an Association Board President in a complex on the ALA Gulf Coast. I can see some of my unit owners making statements like youv'e made (at times). All of which I could easily explain and would. Costs more than doubled this year when casualty insurance premiums came in at 425% increase and dwarfed our entire budget for everything else. We've have had the largest monthly reginme fee increase in history and still have to assess $400,000 for insurance for this year for 107 units. Labor and materials are tight and contractors have more work than they can do and you can't get them because of all the hurricanes. Landscaping has salt spray damage; we are waiting to see what survives before we begin renovating it.

Sounds like there isn't much communication from the Board. I'd ask for an accounting of the regime fees and assessments. Look at the financial statements. Ask specific questions about the problems you see. Get involved and come up with solutions. Run for the Board, get on and run it your way!!

Good Luck with it!