In the modern era, condominiums are the most flexible places to live in. The view from the window of any ten or twenty-storeyed condo takes the breath of anyone away! But there are a number of rules in the case of owning a condo.
So, before you choose to buy a condo, you need to learn what condo owners are responsible for.
Condo owners are responsible for all sorts of changes and improvements to be made in the interior only. Any malware or damage on the exterior is not for the condo owners to repair.
In this article, I will explain the primary responsibilities of a condo owner and the kind of changes he can make to a condo as the owner. Also, I will tell you briefly about the maintenance of condos.
If you plan to own a condo soon, you need to be well aware of these facts. So, to analyze these facts better, please read the entire article.
Responsibilities Of Condo Owners
It is the dream of any person to own a roof of their own one day. Condos are the most comfortable residential homes for anyone living in modern metropolitan cities! But owning a condo comes at the price of some rules and regulations to abide by.
To understand the responsibilities of a condo owner, you need to understand the complete map of a condominium. Because you need to be clear first, which are the places you own and which you don’t; so, read the next part to know in detail!
How Do You Define A Condominium?
A condo or a condominium is a separate unit that you can buy in a large complex building. Such a building consists of thousands of similar units. Condos are entirely different from apartments.
Because, in the case of apartments, you get to rent them for a brief period. But with condos, you can purchase a unit for a long-term project that can last your entire lifetime!
Your condo is your home, and you own this airspace. The general definition of a condo is given in terms of airspace. This is because the whole complex will constitute thousands of units altogether.
So, there are thousands of owners living under the same roof. But there is a perfect division of how much space each owner can own.
This is where the idea of governing documents comes into being. This document states the division of condominium land into some categories. When you understand these divisions, it becomes easier to understand the responsibilities.
Your Responsibilities As Per The Condominium Plan
The map of the whole condo is dictated in the governing documents that you will access during your purchase. This condominium plan or map states the division of the area of the whole multi-unit development.
The Home Owner’s Association (HOA) has outlined the plan in three areas. These are – the Individual Units, the Common Areas, and the Limited Common Areas.
Individual Units
The Individual Units are the areas that belong to you only. Unless your governing documents state anything further or anything otherwise, the main airspace of the condo falls under this category.
So, it typically involves the floor and roof of each unit, the walls, paints, wallpapers, the plumbing system, electronics, etc.
That is to say, anything inside this territory of your living place is a part of the Individual Unit. So, any damages or repairs required in this area are your responsibility as the owner. However, if any repair is needed on the exterior, there are different rules. These rules decide who is in charge of the repair work.
On the other hand, imagine a scenario where the plumbing is leaking outside. It caused leakage of water into your unit. In this case, your responsibility is only to fix the broken part of the plumbing in your unit.
The rest is the duty of the Home Owner’s Association to fix. It is essential that you keep insurance beforehand for such mishaps.
General Common Areas
Just as you can guess, these are the spaces that the people living in the entire complex share. For example, you cannot claim the mantle in the case of a common staircase that the whole building uses! Some selected areas will be specified in the governing documents that fall under General Common Areas.
Usually, the general common areas are the swimming pools, garages, lobbies, gyms, an outlined part of the roof, the common staircase, some classified windows, etc.
Generally, the condo owners of all units submit a maintenance fee annually or monthly to the Home Owner’s Association. This sum of money will be used in the future for any repair work in the Common Areas.
So, the damages in the General Common Areas are indirectly your responsibility. You, along with other condo members, are paying for this. But the rest of the work is ensured and conducted by the HOA.
So, if you see any broken window in this area, it is not for you to fix it. Just report it to the HOA and get it fixed. However, you can always continue general maintenance in these areas. For example, dusting, cleaning, etc., are not the sole responsibilities of HOA unless your governing documents state otherwise.
Limited Common Areas
Now, as per the plan, these areas are only accessible to some chosen unit owners. These areas are not for all to access, hence the name.
The maintenance costs and repairs are also under the HOA. However, if the documents are not clear, it is for the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&R) to decide.
Moreover, a complex may not even have limited common areas. These are some exclusive places in the entire building. Typically, it involves areas on the boundaries of the territory or outside the mainland; For instance, the patios, balconies, main doors, ACs, gardens, fences, etc.
What Changes Can The Owners Make In Condos?
The owners are in charge of the interiors of the condos only. The exteriors are not subject to repair by any owner in the complex. Similarly, when it comes to changes, condo owners can change stuff only inside the territory of their units.
You can change the paint on the wall or any wallpaper as the owner. You may make changes to the plumbing system or any internal fixtures. Besides, the addition or removal of furniture, ceiling reconstruction, floor remodeling, etc., also falls under your jurisdiction as an owner. You can make changes to any of these as per your wish.
However, you may require permission or grants to move a wall or a doorframe. It should have been made clear in your governing documents earlier. But in most cases, owners have limited access to these kinds of functions.
It can turn into a major drawback of owning a condo. Given you paid a considerable sum of money to own the place. But only at the cost of losing the freedom to make certain changes. However, the other facilities you enjoy here compensate well enough for these sorts of drawbacks!
The HOA or the condo association is responsible for any other changes on the exteriors. For example, the HOA can interfere if the sidewalks or pools require reconstruction or repair. The external lighting, painting, doors, gateways, gardens, etc., all are the responsibilities of the HOA.
So, as long as you own a condo, your responsibilities and changes to make are pretty limited. That is why most condos are made in the best shape considering the owners’ taste. After all, it is your home for the rest of your life!
Conclusion
If you plan to buy a condo, you must understand your responsibilities and rights as a future owner. Condos are very low maintenance. It is the best-suited place for any working-class individual trying to find a home! So, after you have learned about what condo owners are responsible for, you can decide for yourself!
In this article, I tried to explain all that you need to know about owning a condo and the responsibilities that come alongside it. I hope it helped you gain a brief overview of all these facts.
Thank you for reading the entire article with patience. Good luck buying the best condo your heart says yes to! After all, home is where the heart is!