There may be times when you dispute issues that the homeowners association (HOA) brings to your attention. It’s wise to look carefully at any complaint so that you can argue against it and prepare to win a fight against your HOA.
Did you know that a 2015 survey showed that 72 percent of people living within an HOA had been involved in a dispute? The Coalition for Community Housing Police in the Public Interest went on to say that those disputes were complicated and hard to resolve.
When the HOA decides that a homeowner is at fault or has violated the terms of the community, the HOA is truly the one in power. However, that doesn’t mean that the homeowner doesn’t have rights or the ability to fight back.
Homeowners associations are controlled by state laws. The first thing you can do with any dispute is to make sure that the argument the HOA is making is within state law. Before you turn to the courts for help, though, you’ll want to sit down with your neighbors and the HOA to talk. It’s not impossible to negotiate, but remember that homeowners who don’t comply with HOA documents could be fined or have a lien placed against their home. Some can end up in foreclosure.
Since the stakes can be high, this is a good reason to work with someone familiar with state laws and negotiation. You want to protect your interests and your home so that you can live comfortably in the community that you love without the stress of an ongoing dispute.
