If your homeowners association has not yet adopted a records copying policy, it should move quickly. On July 1, 2012, a new law in Virginia goes into effect that requires boards of directors of associations to have adopted a cost schedule if the association wants to charge owners for the costs of copies and labor
Avoiding the Perils and Pitfalls of the Fair Credit Reporting Act
On Thursday, February 16, 2012, LeClairRyan employment law attorney and Community Association Team member Brian Muse will present a one-hour webinar on the Fair Credit Report Act.
This webinar will provide practical advice to employers on what they need to know to conduct background checks and employee investigations without running afoul of the FCRA. It
Will Sleeth and Liz White Quoted in Virginia Lawyers Weekly Magazine on HOA Collections
Will Sleeth and Liz White were recently quoted in a Virginia Lawyers Weekly magazine article reporting on the challenges that associations and their attorneys face when attempting to collect unpaid assessments. The article (subscription required) discussed the importance of associations and their attorneys strictly complying with the requirements of the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
Records Inspection Requests by Members: An Overview
A reader recently asked us to comment on members’ rights to inspect their property owners’ association’s books and records, such as financial information and meeting minutes, pursuant to the Property Owners’ Association Act.
A member’s right to inspect records is not only governed by the provisions of the Property Owners’ Association Act, but also by the provisions contained within the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act. The provisions of the two acts must be read in conjunction with each other, and therefore the interested member should review not only § 55-510 of the Property Owners’ Association Act in order to understand his rights, but also §§ 13.1-932 – 934 of the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act as well.
This blog post is limited to a discussion of the provisions contained within the Property Owners’ Association Act, and at some future time we will likely make a post regarding the inspection provisions contained in the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act.Continue Reading Records Inspection Requests by Members: An Overview
Disclosure Packets and Financial Updates
We received the following question relating to disclosure packets and financial updates: Va. Code § 55-509.9 provides that settlement agents may request escrow instructions from the disclosure packet preparer, who would be the association manager in the case of a professionally managed association. No fee may be charged for escrow instructions, whereas an association manager may charge a $50 fee for a financial update. Settlement agents and other parties involved in the sale of a property (e.g. real estate agents) regularly request written confirmation of outstanding assessments, special assessments, HOA insurance coverage, insurance agent contact information, etc. Since this information is in the disclosure packet already provided, does this information qualify as a “financial update” for which a fee may be charged? Is there a definition of what is included in a settlement agent request that is not subject to a fee and one that is?Continue Reading Disclosure Packets and Financial Updates
POA Disclosure Packets Webinar — Q&A Follow-up
Thank you to all those who participated in our March 31st webinar on POA Disclosure Packets. To follow up, the following are answers to those questions you submitted that were left unanswered at the end of the program. Thank you for your insightful questions!
Q. Is HB 702, the new law regarding time of payment for disclosure packets (effective July 1, 2010), applicable to professionally managed associations as well as self-managed associations?
A. The new law will apply only to self-managed associations. For the time being, professionally-managed associations should continue to ensure that fees for disclosure packets are collected at settlement.
Q. Must a copy of an insurance document or certificate for the Association be included in the disclosure packet, or only a notation of the coverage amount?
A. The disclosure packet must include a "statement setting forth what insurance coverage is provided for all lot owners by the association, including the fidelity bond maintained by the association, and what additional insurance would normally be secured by each individual lot owner." A document from the insurance company is not required.Continue Reading POA Disclosure Packets Webinar — Q&A Follow-up
Upcoming Webinar on POA Disclosure Packets
This Wednesday, March 31st, LeClairRyan’s Community Association Industry Team will be hosting a free webinar entitled "What You Need to Know About Property Owner Association Disclosure Packets."
On Wednesday from noon to 1 P.M. EST, attorneys Lori Schweller and Liz White will discuss the Virginia Property Owners’ Association Act’s requirements, including when disclosure packets are