One of the most common questions we receive from Community Association clients is how do we preserve our lien for and recover delinquent assessments?

The frustrating reality is that some owners in Community Associations fail to pay their assessments in a timely manner.  These delinquencies can create serious financial issues within the community.  There are a few ways for Community Associations to pursue delinquent assessments.  In part one of this series on collection remedies, we will discuss one method of collection, or rather, preservation, of a Community Association’s lien: the memorandum of lien.

What is a memorandum of lien?

A memorandum of lien is a document that is recorded in the land records of the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office in the city or county where the real property is located.  The memorandum of lien essentially states that the Community Association has a lien encumbering the property for delinquent assessments.  The operative statutes require the Community Association to include certain information on the memorandum of lien, including, but not limited to, the name of the development, a description of the lot, the delinquent amounts and their due dates, and the names of the owners.  Moreover, the Community Association must provide written notice (sent via certified mail at least ten days prior to the filing of the memorandum of lien) to the delinquent owner that a memorandum of lien will be filed if the amounts remain delinquent.
Continue Reading Persistence Can Lead to Dollars: Preserving the Community Association’s Lien for Delinquent Assessments – Part One