B.C. from Hartford County writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
How long do you have to keep unit files and other correspondence?
Mister Condo replies:
L.D., that is a great question and, the answer varies from state to state! Since you are from Connecticut, let me share with you what I know of the requirements in our state. My advice is to keep as much of the association’s records as is reasonably possible but there are some that you must keep. Obviously, the governing documents need to be kept in perpetuity. Minutes of all meetings, a record of all actions taken by unit owners or executive Board without a meeting, and a record of all actions a committee takes in place of the executive Board on the association’s behalf all need to be kept at least one year, but ideally should be kept forever as they are the historical records of what votes and actions were taken. These records would need to be produced if a unit owner ever challenged an action of the Board. Without those records, the Board would have great difficulty defending itself if a suit were brought. I answered a similar question back in 2013. You can take a look at my reply for further edification if you care to: https://askmistercondo.com/how-long-must-condo-records-be-kept/. Keep in mind that laws are always subject to change and I am not an attorney. I always recommend that you confer with an attorney to answer legal questions as you really want an expert opinion from someone who is practicing community association law when it comes to such an important topic. All the best!