lthough they are supposed to have a so-called reserve account to cover anticipated capital expenses—roof replacements, exterior maintenance, elevator upkeep, and the like—many condominiums, especially in the last few years of economic …
Massive flooding. Widespread insect infestations. Devastating tornadoes. It’s a good thing those things don’t happen in New England. Condominium trustees and homeowners who thought New England was immune to such catastr…
The day-to-day costs of running a multifamily residential building are significant. There’s the fuel oil, electric, cleaning supplies, equipment maintenance and service calls for repair and upkeep. Then there are the insurance costs, la…
It often arises suddenly. And when the telltale signs do appear, the problem has likely been years in the making. “It can come up any number of different ways,” says Charlie Perkins, senior partner of the Westford, Massachusetts-based la…
Most of the time, a condo association or co-op building and its management company enjoy a mutually beneficial partnership—the management company and the individual agents try their best to serve their clients, and their client communiti…
All roads lead to Sturbridge, Massachusetts—or so it seems. A thriving community with colonial roots, Sturbridge stands at the crossroads of New England. U.S. Route 20 runs through the center of town, and the junction of Inters…
In most states, community associations have no special status when a unit owner stops paying maintenance fees. But one by one, states have been adopting a priority lien, or “super lien” provision into law, to give condominium association…
Of all the members of a condominium’s board, the treasurer is in a unique position to uphold the fiduciary responsibility of the association, similar to that of a chief financial officer in the corporate world. Basically, the t…
Proxy Dilemma Q Two weeks prior to our annual condo election, the unit owners receive their proxies in the mail. However, a board member who was up for re-election obtained a proxy from the manager two weeks earlier than all the…
Q: If there is damage to my roof and it leaks into my condominium unit and I reported it to the board three times with no repairs made, can I repair it myself and deduct the cost from my common charges? Please advise ASAP. Your atte…