K.B. from Rockingham County, New Hampshire writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
Can an association change the storm door style and force all unit owners to change their doors? I don’t recall voting on this. I also have the letter from the association (maybe 5 years ago) that showed the approved door style. I replaced my door last year going by the approved door style and now they expect us to replace new doors? Wouldn’t this be something the unit owners should have voted on? One of our current board members replaced her door about 5 years ago and replaced it with the “new style door” which I suspect is the reason the styles have changed.
Mister Condo replies:
K.B., the Board of your condominium association is the keeper of the architectural standards. If they have changed the standards, they very likely had the right to do it. Unless you governing documents state otherwise, Architectural Control is the job of the Board. Forcing condo owners to replace storm doors arbitrarily is a bit uncommon and, as you see, unpopular. It is the kind of move that could easily lead unit owners to vote them out of office next election cycle but it is very likely their right to make the change and mandate compliance by all owners. At the end of the day, there is better curb appeal when all of the units look the same. All the best!