A Homeowners Association (HOA) is responsible for managing and maintaining an area of land shared by numerous homeowners. An HOA usually operates under a certain number of rules and regulations that all members must abide by. You may pay fees and fines direct to the leader of the HOA or there may be an hoa collection agency to which you have to send your fees. If you have purchased an area of land or a home, you might automatically become a member of an HOA. This might mean you have to abide by certain rules you do not necessarily have a say in changing. Often, HOA rules lead to conflicts. It’s important to know how to resolve a dispute with an HOA to manage your relationship. Here are some of the best tips and actions you must take to resolve a dispute.
The first step to resolving a dispute is understanding where the problem lies. For example, is the HOA disputing you changing the color of your house? Are they disputing you erecting a storage unit in your garden? Once you understand where the core of the problem lies, you can get clarity on how best to resolve it. Understanding where the problem lies also helps you understand what the motivations of the HOA are. For example, preserving the value of the neighborhood, keeping the aesthetics of the area consistent, etc.
Step 1: Resolve the Dispute Internally
Resolving the dispute internally within HOA is the most straightforward method. In order to begin resolving your dispute internally, be sure to keep a detailed record of all your correspondence with the HOA to strengthen your case. Also, if you need to hire a Long Island real estate attorney, you’ll have them readily available.
Also, there are certain internal reasons why HOA board elections take so long. For instance, at times there are problems with ballot counting during elections. And such issues can be eaisly resolved internally simply by hiring an HOA election company like Pro-Ei, which can use its scanning and tabulating software to count ballots quickly and accurately.
- Option 1: Requesting a Hearing
The best way to win a hearing is through calm, collected reasoning of your case within the HOA. This means presenting the facts for your case to be judged by the members of the HOA. In this circumstance, you could present a list of signatures from local residents who agree with you.
- Option 2: Requesting an Exception to Rules
Another way to settle your dispute is to request an exception to the normal rules. These exceptions could be granted based on special circumstances, such as reduced mobility.
Step 2: Resolve the Dispute Externally
Resolving a dispute with your HOA can also be achieved externally. In the case of financial disputes such as fines, a small claims court provides an accessible way of resolving your dispute. For larger cases, you’ll need to hire a Long Island real estate attorney to help fight for you.