Can the Board Tell Me What to Use Inside My Condo?

T.H. from New Haven County writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

Does the Board of Directors have the authority to mandate what type of materials a unit owner uses in their condo? Braided Washing Machine Hoses or Specific type of Building Materials, for example.

Mister Condo replies:

T.H., the short answer is “yes”! Most unit owners are aware that they cannot make any modifications to the exterior of their units due to architectural compliance issues, which the Board oversees. Insurance issues, also the purview of the Board, require that the association maintain certain standards so that the insurance can remain in place and claims can be honored. Washing machine hoses and water heaters are two very common wear items that quite often lead to insurance claims when failure results. Rather than continue to pay the claims that can be easily avoided with proper maintenance and materials, the insurance company dictates the materials that should be used and the useable life cycle of the products. If the product, such as the washing machine hose, is shown to be out of date r of the wrong material, the insurance company does not have to pay, which results in a financial hardship for the community. To avoid this, the Board simply mandates that the accepted materials are used and maintenance standards are met. This has the added advantage of protecting you, the unit owner, as well. All the best!