Condominium owners’ associations (COAs) have the responsibility to enforce regulations and covenants in their community. Disputes may arise between condo owners or between residents and their COA. A condo association management team will help resolve and prevent conflicts. Here are three tips for conflict resolution in condo association management:
1. Prioritize Clear Communication
Maintaining clear communication between homeowners and the COA can help prevent misunderstandings that lead to conflict. Offer transparency in board meetings by inviting condo owners to attend. This allows condo owners to have a say in community policy. During the meetings, condo owners have the opportunity to ratify the budget and vote for board members. Condo owners can also offer feedback at meetings.
Provide regular updates to condo owners about policy changes, community projects, COA fees, and community expenses. Keeping residents informed can help them comply with policies, lowering the chances of a violation. For greater convenience, a condo association management team can communicate with residents on the board’s behalf. This includes engaging in virtual communication techniques such as emails, texts, or updates through an online portal.
2. Verify Resident Complaints
Condo owners can file legal complaints with condo associations about nuisances. Nuisances are activities, including ones that cause bad smells and loud noises, that impede the peaceful lifestyle of other residents. These can include:
- A barking dog
- Loud arguments, music, or TVs
- Parties after midnight
- Smoking in non-smoking common areas
- Unresolved trash that causes an odor
Nuisances can lead to disputes between neighbors. When receiving a complaint, address it quickly. Responding to complaints as soon as possible can help prevent escalation.
Verify the complaint by talking with both the resident making the complaint and the one causing the disturbance. This allows the board to determine whether the activities have violated the community’s governing documents. Having the board speak with the offending party can sometimes resolve the issue. If the party does not comply, take the appropriate actions outlined in the rules of the association. Write down all actions and follow up with the resident who made the complaint.
If the problem does not break any policies, the board does not need to interfere. Let the owners resolve the issue between themselves. A management team can also assist with dispute resolution.
3. Perform Impartial Enforcement
Make sure that residents have access to the community’s governing documents and policies to keep them informed about community policies and the consequences of non-compliance. If a resident is late in paying their fees or does not comply with the guidelines, they may face penalties, including late fees. Enforce late fees and other penalties fairly, consistently, and impartially. Appearances of favoritism to particular residents may cause or escalate a conflict.
The board may also have a condo management team enforce covenants and collect COA fees. A condo team will conduct site visits and send letters to inform owners of non-compliance. Having a third party involved offers a degree of separation between the board and the residents when administering penalties, allowing for greater impartiality.
Contact a Condo Association Management Team
A condo management team will assist with the legal requirements of governing a community. They will also provide record-keeping services, track expenses, and design budgets to help the board remain transparent and accountable with the community. Find a reliable condo association management team today.