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Association members who pay their assessments late or not at all come up with some very interesting excuses. Here’s half a dozen of the most common, and why it’s smart not to use them.

 

“My building hasn’t been painted in five years! I’m not paying another cent until some basic maintenance gets done.”

“The gate has been broken multiple times this year. I’m withholding a pro-rated amount from my assessment check.”

 

You have a right to require the association to perform its duties, and various legal channels exist to accomplish this. Withholding assessments is not one of them. Your obligation to pay assessments has nothing to do with the association’s obligations to provide maintenance and service. If you withhold your check or pay a reduced amount, you’ll become delinquent, and that leads to late fees, and actually makes your situation worse. 

 

“I didn’t get an invoice.”

“You didn’t tell me I was behind in my payments.”

 

Many association governing documents neither require the association to send invoices nor provide advance notice of payments due or past due. However its a common practice to send a statement even if its not required. Ultimately the responsibility falls to the owner to pay whether or not "it got lost in the mail".  If you’re ever unsure about the amount or the due dates, just call the management office.

 

“These people have no right to make me pay for neighborhood upkeep.”

“If they think I’m paying those outrageous late fees and interest, they’re crazy.”

 

Actually, the association not only has the authority, it has a duty to all owners to collect assessments. This authority is established in the governing documents and the state’s common interest ownership statutes. When you moved into a community association, you agreed to abide by those documents—and that includes paying assessments.

 

“I don’t play golf, and it’s an expensive game. I shouldn’t have to pay to maintain the course.”

“I’ve never been in the fitness center, and I don’t plan to ever use it. Why can’t you pro-rate my assessments accordingly?”

 

Admittedly, recreational facilities are expensive to operate and—for some associations—represent a good chunk of the budget. Nevertheless, most declarations specify that even if you don’t use the association’s amenities you’re still obligated to pay for their upkeep.

Many of our residents moved into this community specifically for the recreational amenities; they’re willing to pay for them because they take full advantage of the opportunities they provide. Even if you’re not using some of the amenities, they make the community more desirable and the homes in the community more valuable. If you’re not using the facilities, perhaps you should consider whether this community is the best fit for you and your needs.

 

Sometimes the association receives a check that says “paid in full” in the memo section—but it isn’t. Or the check will arrive with a letter or note, stating the check is “payment in full,” or it covers all charges through a certain date. Nice try. If you still have an outstanding balance, we’re not going to cash your check. We’re going to return it to you. This will put you further behind in your payments and just cause more late fees.

 

Assessments reflect the actual cost of maintaining all common elements in the community. If you owned your home outside the association, you would have to pay individually for all the same expenses your assessments cover—trash removal, water, landscaping, and so on. In fact, you’re actually spending less on assessments because the association has bulk buying power, and you’re getting more because the common areas provide amenities that you likely could not afford on your own.

 

Everyone goes through tough financial periods when the bills start accumulating and the light at the end of the tunnel seems to be getting dimmer and dimmer. But, as is most often the case, those times pass and through determination and careful financial planning we are able to get back on our financial "feet" once again. During those challenging periods it is often tempting to avoid meeting certain financial obligations in order to meet others. However, when deciding which bills to "juggle" and which to pay remember that your monthly association dues are just as important as your mortgage payment. If you don't pay your mortgage, you will eventually lose your home. Likewise, if you don't pay your monthly assessment, the association has the right to foreclose on your property and sell it. More importantly however, is that should you let your assessment become delinquent, in order to bring your account current, you will have to pay more than the original monthly assessment amount. Late fees, interest charges and if applicable various administrative and legal fees must also be paid.

 

When association members lose their jobs or become injured or ill, the association board understands that arrangements need to be worked out for paying assessments. If you have a legitimate reason for falling behind and you need to work out a payment plan, please send an email with specific dates and amounts you are requesting. The board considers each situation individually, and will to try to accommodate your special circumstances.  The bottom line: Don't juggle your monthly assessment payment. Pay on time and avoid paying more (and possibly losing more!) in the long run.