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Condominium Associations:.
FAQ's
Request for
Proposal
Architectural
Landscape
Snow Removal
Policies
Maintenance Request
Report a Complaint /
Concern
Condominium
Association
Ownership
FAQ's |
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1. What
is
condominium
ownership?
Condominium
refers to a
legal method
of ownership
and the
interest
owned in the
real estate,
not the
physical
style of the
buildings.
When you
purchase a
condominium,
you become
the owner of
the interior
of your unit
and a joint
co-owner,
with your
neighbors,
of the
building
structures
and the
land. In a
condominium,
you have
chosen a
lifestyle
that
requires
courteous
conduct and
delegates
maintenance
decisions to
the
association.
The
lifestyle is
successful
because the
owners
cooperate in
a common
goal.
2. What
is a
condominium
association?
As a
condominium
owner, you
are a member
of a
condominium
association
comprised of
all unit
owners. The
association
has
jurisdiction
over all the
common
elements.
Your rights,
obligations
and
responsibilities
are defined
in the
Condominium
Declaration
and Bylaws
for your
condominium
development.
The
condominium
association
is a
not-for-profit
corporation
registered
in the State
of Ohio.
Your
association
has hired a
professional
management
company to
take care of
the
day-to-day
operation of
the
association.
3. What
are common
elements?
Everything
outside the
individual
unit is
known as a
common
element. You
and all the
other owners
share the
right to use
the common
elements
subject to
reasonable
regulations
as well as
the
responsibility
for their
maintenance.
As a
condominium
owner, you
are
responsible
for the
maintenance,
cleaning,
decorating,
repair and
remodeling
of the
inside of
your
condominium home.
The cost of
maintenance,
repair and
replacement
of the
common
elements,
which are
owned by you
in common
with your
neighboring
condominium
owners, are
the
responsibility
of the
condominium
association
and paid for
from your
monthly
Association
fees.
Because the
association
owns the
exterior of
the
property,
any changes,
additions or
alterations
must be
approved in
writing by
the Board of
Directors.
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4. Who is
the Board of
Directors?
The Board is
made up of
fellow unit
owners who
have been
elected to
oversee the
operation of
the
association.
The Board is
the
decision-making
body of the
community
they direct
the
management
company,
chart the
plan for
maintenance,
set the
budget,
establish
the monthly
fees and
write the
rules.
5. What
are my
responsibilities
as an
association
member?
Since your
association
has a
professional
manager, the
day-to-day
administrative
and
accounting
tasks are
taken care
of. You
should,
however,
become
involved in
the
community.
Pay your
monthly fees
so the
association
remains
financially
healthy and
the common
area care
can be
maintained
to enhance
property
value. Read
the
Condominium
Declaration
so you are
familiar
with your
rights and
obligations.
Attend
association
meetings
whenever
possible.
Volunteer to
serve on a
committee,
the Board of
Directors,
or offer
your help on
a special
project.
Read,
understand
and abide by
the rules.
6. What
do my
monthly
maintenance
fees cover?
Your fees
may include
property
insurance,
legal fees,
management
fees,
administrative
costs
(postage,
copies,
etc.),
exterior
building
maintenance,
care of
facilities
such as a
clubhouse or
pool, lawn
care and
landscaping,
snow
removal, and
a reserve
replacement
fund for
capital
improvements.
Capital
improvements
would
include
major
replacements
such as
roofs,
concrete and
asphalt.
Some
association
fees may
also include
utilities,
such as
water, sewer
or trash
removal.
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7. What
does the
management
company do?
The
management
company
collects and
deposits
monthly
fees, pays
all
invoices,
produces an
accurate
monthly
financial
statement,
maintains
all records,
attends
quarterly
board
meetings,
develops an
annual
budget,
monitors and
controls
expenses,
receives
requests for
exterior
maintenance
and provides
a staff to
perform the
work, writes
bid
specifications
and solicits
bids for
routine
contracts
and special
projects,
receives and
responds to
complaints
from
residents,
files
incident
reports and
insurance
claims as
necessary,
monitors
contractor
services,
assists with
notices,
newsletters
and
community
meetings and
provides the
Board of
Directors
with advice,
consultation
and
guidance.
8. What
if I fail to
pay my
monthly
maintenance
fee?
If you dont
pay your
monthly fees
consistently
and in a
timely
manner, the
burden of
operating
the
association
falls on
your fellow
unit owners.
You may also
be subject
to late
fees, a lien
against your
property or
foreclosure,
along with
legal and
recording
fees.
9. What
are my
responsibilities
for
maintenance
vs. the
associations?
You are
responsible
for all
interior
maintenance,
appliances,
heating and
cooling
systems,
pipes,
plumbing and
wiring,
doors,
windows,
screens,
jambs and
storm doors.
You may also
be
responsible
for your
deck or
patio and
fencing. You
are
responsible
for
exterminating
non-wood
boring
insects,
rodents and
for cleaning
up after
pets. The
association
takes care
of the
remaining
exterior
maintenance.
10. What
does the
associations
insurance
cover?
The
association
insurance
policy
usually
covers all
buildings
against loss
or damage by
fire and
other
insurable
hazards.
This
normally
includes
fixtures
inside the
unit, such
as cabinets,
drywall and
plumbing
elements. It
does not
include
personal
property or
upgrades the
owner may
make inside
the home.
The
association
policy also
includes
liability
coverage,
but
individual
owners
should
obtain this
coverage as
well.
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Architectural |
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Most
Associations
require
prior
approval
before
adding
improvements
or otherwise
altering the
exterior
appearance
of your
condo or
making any
change
within the
limited or
common area.
Examples
include
items such
as
decorations,
lighting or
landscape
(trees &
shrubs).
Approval is
obtained by
submitting
plans to the
Association
Board of
Directors.
If you are
planning any
exterior
improvements
or
additions,
you will
need to
submit a
site plan
showing the
proposed
changes,
materials
and colors,
along with
photos,
drawings or
brochures.
You may
submit your
plans to
Rickert
Property
Management
by mail, fax
or email and
they will be
forwarded to
Board of
Directors
for review.
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Landscaping |
Grounds
maintenance
is one of
the most
important
responsibilities
of an
Association
Board. Over
time, well
kept turf,
trees and
shrubs
appreciate
in value. A
knowledgeable
maintenance
committee,
with a
carefully
developed
and executed
grounds
maintenance
program,
directly
contributes
to the
health of
the
community
and the
protection
of property
values.
The
landscape
expense
budget is
normally the
largest
dollar item
for any
Association.
Why does it
cost so much
to maintain
the common
areas?
1)
Size of the
common areas
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The common
areas may
include one
or more
community
entrances,
grassy areas
along major
roadways,
median
strips,
cul-de-sac
islands,
parks, pond
perimeters
and
detention
basins. The
size of the
areas
involved
require a
commercial,
rather than
residential
contract.
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2)
Services
included in
the
landscape
contract
Generally,
the
landscape
contractor
will provide
the
following
services:
Weekly
mowing and
string
trimming
28-30 times
per year
Turf
fertilization
4-5
applications
per year
Spring
planting bed
clean-up
Annual
edging and
mulching of
planting
beds and
tree rings
Annual
turf
aeration
Bed
weeding
Turf weed
control
Pruning
of trees and
shrubs
Seasonal
flowers and
flower
maintenance
Irrigation
system
start-up,
winterization
and periodic
maintenance
Debris
and trash
pick-up
Tree and
shrub
removal/replacement
Fall leaf
removal |
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Snow Removal
Policies |
 As we all
know, snow
and ice are
a fact of
winter life in
Ohio. When
temperatures
and
snow
start
falling,
everyone
must proceed
a little
more
cautiously
as dangerous
conditions
may lurk
anywhere and
everywhere.
At the same
time, we
want to make
you aware
that each
Association
Board
establishes
and adopts
the
specifications
for
snow and ice
removal.
As is
standard for
associations
throughout
the area,
your
Association
has a snow
plow
contract
that calls
for snow to
be plowed
when
snowfall
exceeds a
certain
depth. Due
to the
limited
available
space, the
snow plow
contractor
must pile
the snow as
best he can.
This may
further
restrict
available
parking.
The
Association
retains a
contractor
to shovel
snow from
sidewalks as
circumstances
warrant,
when the
snowfall
exceeds a
certain
depth. The
contractor
may use
calcium
chloride to
help melt
snow and
ice, but
sparingly so
to protect
the
concrete.
Please note
that calcium
does NOT
instantly
melt ice and
its
effectiveness
is very
limited as
temperatures
drop below
20 degrees.
You are
urged to
take care
and be
mindful that
slippery ice
and snow may
exist
anytime
it's cold
outside.
These
specifications
will address
most, but
not all,
winter
conditions
and hazards.
The
Association
does not
guarantee or
promise
protection
against such
hazards.
Your care
and
attention to
the
conditions
that exist
is,
therefore,
necessary to
ensure your
safety while
on the
property.
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Condominium
Maintenance
Request
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Condominium
Association
Report a
Complaint /
Concern
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