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Sophisticated Woman

Does your condominium or homeowners association (HOA) have owners who don’t pay their assessments?  Owners are finding more excuses to avoid paying their assessments.  Filing multiple bankruptcies, submitting payments with conditional language, NSF payments, claiming they don’t owe since they don’t use the common elements. . .  The list goes on and on.

So how does your association handle these “Sophisticated Debtors”?  Does your Association have a strong written collection policy?  Are your governing documents updated and in compliance with current law?  If not, your association will spend more than you should be in trying to collect unpaid assessments.

To ease the pain and headache of collecting unpaid assessments, make sure your association has:
Continue Reading Dealing with Sophisticated Debtors

The COVID-19 Pandemic has created a global economic crisis impacting individual unit and home owners, and the associations they comprise.  An unfortunate result will be an increase in bankruptcy filings.  Learn how to prepare and protect your Association now.

Want to learn more about Wisconsin condominium and HOA law from experienced condo and HOA…

Empty Wallet

Even the best and most established real estate developers can face hard times, especially in the aftermath of recession and economic downturn, as we experienced a few short years ago. Many condominium and subdivision developments found themselves half completed, both in terms of units and homes built, and common area improvements (like streets and curbs) left undone.  Where a new developer comes in to build upon the remaining lots, what responsibilities does he take on?  As related in a recent 2019 case, the answer may be found in the original development agreements with the municipality.
Continue Reading Did Your Developer Go Bankrupt and Leave your Association Holding the Bag? Your Remedy May Lie Within the Developer Agreement

The Fair Debt Collection Practice Act (FDCPA) was enacted to protect consumers from unscrupulous debt collectors; as a shield against prohibited acts. However, it is now often used as a sword, by attorneys who are part of a “cottage industry” that simply look for even the smallest of violations and then claim thousands of dollars of attorney fees and damages in their first letter to the alleged violator.
Continue Reading Foreclosing on a Unit When Owner Discharged in Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy

In New Jersey, the United Stated Bankruptcy Court held in In re. Smiley, 569 B.R. 377 (2017) that a Unit Owner/Debtor can modify the Association’s lien and strip off all but the six month super lien allowed under the state’s condominium act.  The facts at the time were that the Association was owed $9,000 for filed liens and another $4,700 that it recognized as unsecured.  At the time of the bankruptcy filing, the monthly assessment was $250.  The fair market value of the property according to the bankruptcy schedules was $142,000, but it was under water because of a $174,000 first mortgage on the property.  Based on these facts the Unit Owner/Debtor claimed, and the court found, that despite the proper lien filings, the Association only had security for $1,500 ($250 x 6 months).
Continue Reading Chapter 13 Bankruptcy – Can the Association’s Lien for Unpaid Assessments be Stripped Off? YES

Watch Out

Most states, including Wisconsin, follow the American Rule when it comes to attorney fees.  In simple terms, it provides that each side in a lawsuit is responsible for their own attorney fees (win or lose) unless:

  1. A statute or law provides otherwise; or
  2. A contract provides otherwise.

Because the law recognizes your Association documents as contracts between the Association and it owners or members, a provision allowing attorney fees may be found there.
Continue Reading Attorney Fees – How Do I Get a Court to Award Them to My Association and What is a Fee Shifting Provision?