Condo Association’s Right to Inspect Chimneys and Furnaces

G.G. from outside of Connecticut writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

Can a condo association require inspection of chimney and furnace?

Mister Condo replies:

G.G., they sure can. Protection of the entire community association and the assets of the association is one of the responsibilities of the association. In fact, if you review your condo governance documents I’m guessing you’ll find a whole lot of language on the association’s right to review anything potentially hazardous to the well-being of the buildings and resident’s health. Depending on your state, there may also be state law that comes into play with how those inspections are done. In some states, the association has the right to enter the unit at any time for routine maintenance and inspections. Others require proper notice or even allow for the unit owner to refuse the inspection or offer an alternative like an inspection from a qualified HVAC technician provided to the association upon request. The bottom line is that neither the association or the unit owners want the potential fire hazards associated with clogged chimneys or improperly maintained furnaces. I’d like to add dryer vent inspection to that list, too. Lint build-up is a top fire hazard at condos! Inspection of such items is a best policy for condo associations to follow. All the best!