What do pet owners, homeowners associations and landlords all have in common? They may be held liable for injuries caused by an animal attack on any premises deemed to be under their control. Under common law, domestic animals such as dogs and cats are regarded as not inherently dangerous pets….
All homeowner’s associations have to deal with owners who don’t pay dues. Even those with fairly low delinquencies will have a few owners that constantly fall behind. However, when owners stop paying the Association’s operational funds decrease while the operational expenses stay the same or increase. This puts HOAs in…
You’d be surprised to learn how hard people will fight over sentimental items. I always advise my clients to leave a memorandum of wishes attached to their will itemizing sentimental personal goods. I draft a form for them to take home and attach to their will once they’ve listed everything,…
My clients often want to leave the division of personal property up to their heirs. They usually say something like, “They’ll do the right thing.” I always want to respond, “Wrong answer.” I know this from experience. I was riding in the car with my godmother who told me that…
At long last, the Council has unanimously voted to approve proposed amendments to D.C.’s condo law. The law, originally known as The Condominium Act of 1976, has now been amended to incorporate many important changes of which Associations and Boards should be made aware. The Mayor signed the bill into…
Council member Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) introduced legislation last month that establishes new requirements for condominium associations before they can foreclose on unit owners who are delinquent on their monthly assessments. This bill, co-sponsored by council member Kenyan McDuffie (D- Ward 5), creates several new requirements for Associations including (1)…
Negotiating a settlement is not easy. There are a few pointers and skills, however, that have helped me settle many cases successfully while remaining civil with the other side. Remember negotiating is an art form. There is no right or wrong way to do it. The tips below are general…
HOAs and condominium associations (referred to collectively as HOAs for the purpose of this blog) generally have a responsibility to maintain and repair common areas (e.g. the roof, parking lot, hallways, lobby, pool, certain pipes, etc.) as defined by their bylaws and declaration. Beyond the common areas, however, the HOA…
Life is unpredictable and an estate plan will provide order for you and your loved ones during times of crisis. A good estate plan will include a power of attorney, living will, advance medical directive and a last will and testament. If you have specific wishes for how you want…
As I meet with distressed clients who are under financial strain, I realize that many of them do not want to file bankruptcy because they have often been misinformed about the consequences of filing Chapter 7 or 13. Vehicles I had one debtor call me saying that she wanted to…
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