Condo Association Has No Bylaws!

S.S. from Fairfield County writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

My condo association does not have bylaws! What are there requirements and how do I get them to produce them?

Mister Condo replies:

S.S., it would be highly unusual for a condo association to not have by-laws. Most certainly there is a Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (more commonly referred to as CC&Rs). There are also usually bylaws, articles, and rules that complete the set of condo documentation (more commonly referred to as the condo docs). These items are kept by either the association’s Property Manager (if it has one) or an association officer (Secretary) or may be offered electronically by a third party provider if the association has decided to offer that service. Condo docs are required as part of the resale package any time a unit within the association changes hands. There is generally a reasonable fee for producing these documents. You should have been provided with a copy of your condo docs when you purchased your unit. Quite often, they are sealed in cellophane for safekeeping. I know of many unit owners who have never opened their copies. At any rate, if you do not have a copy you should make a written request to your association secretary or property manager. I am sure they will send you down the right path. Good luck!