Condo fees issue

[snowfunatic]

Hi everyone,

I live in the state of Virginia where I recently bought a condo unit. Prior to settlement, the management company sent me a condo package describing all the assessment fees (condo fees) that I would have to remit on a monthly basis. However, after the first month, I am sent a bill that is $10.00 higher than what was set forth in my condo package. I inquire about the additional $10.00 and the property manager tells me it's a parking fee that everyone has to pay. I quickly replied saying that it was not on my condo package and that the association could not, out of the blue, charge me an extra $10.00 which could have been a difference as to whether I would have backed out of my original sales contract. Furthermore, after settlement, I was supposed to get a coupon book from the management company with my account number, etc. in order to write it on my check when I submitted my assessment fees. Going by my original condo package, I sent in ten dollars less than it was supposed to be (according to their record) and they charged me a late fee. So my questions as are follows: a) am i required to pay the extra $10? shouldn't the "legal" assessment fee be based on my original condo papers? b) is there any way I can get the late fee waived and/or deleted off my account? c) the association just set forth new by-laws to put a unit on foreclosure if the owner doesn't pay the assessment, is that legal? i heard they couldn't legally do that? Thanks a bunch!

[seniorjudge]

Q: So my questions as are follows: a) am i required to pay the extra $10? shouldn't the "legal" assessment fee be based on my original condo papers? b) is there any way I can get the late fee waived and/or deleted off my account? c) the association just set forth new by-laws to put a unit on foreclosure if the owner doesn't pay the assessment, is that legal?

A: What do your CCRs say in answer to your questions?

[snowfunatic]

Originally Posted by seniorjudge

A: What do your CCRs say in answer to your questions?

I'm sorry, but what are CCRs? Management says that I should pay it, of course. But whatever they say doesn't mean it's right and/or legal. If I were ever to contest this unfairness, I want to be backed by the law.

[seniorjudge]

Originally Posted by snowfunatic

I'm sorry, but what are CCRs? Management says that I should pay it, of course. But whatever they say doesn't mean it's right and/or legal. If I were ever to contest this unfairness, I want to be backed by the law.

[url]http://www.realtor.com/BASICS/condos/ccr.asp?poe=realtor[/url]

[snowfunatic]

I read the CCRs and it does state that the Board has the right to institute fees, assessments, etc.. However, what I'm having a hard time swallowing is why they didn't set it forth in the official condo docs that were sent to me prior to settlement and that only after settlement did they tell me about the parking fee. I'm lucky it's $10 and the sum is relatively minimum, but at the same token, had it been $100 extra, it wouldn't be fair to me to have to pay that, even if it's obligated by the Board. My belief is that the management company (who erroneously printed the correct assessment fee) should be held accountable, not me.