Condo Snowfall Assessment Leaves Unit Owner Cold!

R.J. from outside of Connecticut writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

If I just moved into a condo 3 months ago and there is an assessment for snow removal from 2 years ago, do I have to pay it for the year I didn’t live there?

Mister Condo replies:

R.J., generally speaking, assessments are levied upon the owner of record at the time when the assessment is levied. The assessment may be a result of a budget shortfall in the current year. The Board may be citing snow removal from two years ago as a reason but if that snowfall had caused a budget shortfall that year, the assessment should have been levied in that year, which would have been the responsibility of the previous owner of your unit. That’s not what happened. The assessment came when you were the owner of record. As such, it is yours, I’m afraid. If, in fact, there was an assessment for the previous year’s snowfall levied before you took ownership of the unit, you would not be liable. However, from what you have told me, that isn’t the case. All the best!