Important Procedures That Homeowners Should Follow When Reviewing HOA Documents

If you lose your copy of the bylaws or any other HOA documents, you have no reason to worry.  Most of the documents that you might want to review can be found on the homeowners association website, including the minutes from previous meetings.  Essentially, it’s just a matter of gaining access to them so you are informed.  Of course, you should know that the process of accessing and reviewing HOA documents is usually governed by certain procedures.

 

An attempt to review HOA documents begins with a request to the manager or a board member.  Tell them what you want to review and do this early on, well in advance to when you will actually need the documents.  While many documents can be accessed easily on the homeowners association website, others must be searched for and that may take some time.

In some cases, it could take up to five business days before your request is fulfilled.  Make sure you simplify matters by producing a clear, concise request.  You should specify the documents you want and your reasons as there’s no place for vagueness when it comes to HOA documents.

 

Once your request is approved, the relevant parties typically reach out to you to set up an appointment.  You won’t be permitted to access confidential information regardless of the arguments in your request, unless it relates directly to you.  They also won’t permit you to make alterations to the documents.  You won’t be charged for viewing original documents, but you must pay to have certain pages copied.

Despite the scenario, you are encouraged to treat all documents you view with respect, especially older documents.  Keep them in the same order as you received them as they should be kept neatly for others who might want to review them.  These are just a few procedures for homeowners to remember when reviewing any HOA documents!