My condo board is raising the assessments AGAIN this year. Out of the 4 years I've lived there they've raised them 4 times. They keep blaming it on increases in utility costs, but refuse to make cuts that make any sense, ie: running the lawn sprinkler every day for 1.5 hours RAIN or shine, keeping the buildings heat (radiator) at around 80 (every board member has old wooden and drafty windows - mine are not), budgeting MORE for their precious landscaping. Mind you, these are people who haved lived there since the building went condo in the 70's and none of them probably have a mortgage and when they did it was NOWHERE near what they are today. A couple of them are retired.

With this increase my monthly assesment is about 400 which does cover heat, water, lawncare, garbage, and mgmt co. I just find it bad that their solution seems to be raise the monthlies and throw money at it as opposed to working within the budget and cutting back on what seems to be excessive and wasteful. I also wouldn't doubt if the Mgmt Co. is in cahoots with them as they've been partnered up for years.

Thoughts?

Would reaching out to other occupants in the building be out of line?

It could be worse. You could have had to give them $14 THOUSAND over the last 5 years like I have. My condo dues are $245 but it does not include heat. In the winter, my energy bills go up to $200+ for each 8 week period. I would love to pay $400 dues to keep from shelling out thousands on major assessments.

My building was built in 1978. I still have the original Harvest Gold formica countertops to prove it!

TT- join the Board and make your voice heard. Better yet, join the Board with a compatriot! The Board has authority under the Declaration/By-Laws to raise assessments.

Also, when you join the Board or before, find out if an independent audit is done annually. That is a worthwhile expense that help keeps the Mgmt Co. in line as well as the Board. Plus, it makes mucho sense in these troubled economic times.

Ah, group living!

My building could be your buildings Grandfather @ approx. 50 yrs older.

That 14k would have me getting out. It could certainly be worse, but, it just frosts my ass with how blatatantly careless they are with their budget and how quick they are to pass on the costs instead of making obvious (and needed) cuts. Another gem is that we have a rental income unit that they'd rather not raise the rent on yet raise our assessments. And, give a bigger bonus this year to the cleaning lady - this will be the 2nd year my bonus has been cut.

Thanks, GGD. They just sent out a board nomination petition. It asks for experience, which, other than being an owner, I do not have. And, due to me having gone round-and-round with these people on other issues, I've all but memorized those decs & by-laws.

I hated paying condo fees and the condo assoc. when I owned one. I swore ... never again.

Yeah, I suppose "smarter than all of you" as a qualification would not win you too many votes.

Read your bylaws and ccrs. Make sure they are not rasing the annual assessment more than they are allowed.

I'll second the part about joining the board. You can send the brickbats my way, but I represent 30-40 associations, and I see over and over these kinds of criticisms, but then boards are crying for volunteers among the critics. Get on the board and then see what can be cut and what can't.