M.O. from Newport County, Rhode Island writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
We have an owner who has not paid his assessments for a year. He pays his dues, but not the assessments. His mailbox fell down and he wants the association to replace it. Can we say No?
Mister Condo replies:
M.O., failing to replace a mailbox is not the way to collect delinquent assessments. The two are not related. Plus, good-paying owners don’t want to look at a broken mailbox. Get it fixed. What’s really broken here is the association’s failure to go after any unit owner who doesn’t make timely payment on their fees or assessments. Check your by-laws and act accordingly. There are collection and legal steps that the association can take to collect their money, up to and including foreclosure. That is far more effective than refusing to fix a broken mailbox which is an eyesore to the rest of the community. You can learn more by filling out the form right here: https://askmistercondo.com/collect-your-fees/Good luck!