WHEN WAS THE last time you felt like you received outstanding customer service? Try to think of an example. Was it a restaurant? Your mechanic? Your doctor or dentist? How about your church? What about your job? Should you expect great customer service at your job?
WHEN CONDOMINIUM BOARD MEMBERS & COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MANAGERS move on, they often take vital institutional knowledge with them. That’s why it’s essential to keep a running record of maintenance incidents, including pipe leaks.
MANY HOA AND CONDO BOARDS ask themselves every year if they need a snow contract? After all this is Seattle, it will melt off by noon. Let’s look at a few issues before deciding. There are 1 million slip and fall claims every year, in the US. The average slip and fall claim is $48,000. What is your association liable for? Are you insured for this?
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS and their management companies are not immune from online and email fraud attempts and scams. The good news: There are steps you can take to help avoid common fraud tactics and better protect yourself and your communities. We’ve compiled some scams to watch for and tips to help avoid them.
THERE ARE MANY laws and regulations in Washington State that community associations should be aware of and prepared to address. Common area safety and electric vehicle charging are two examples that we elaborate on below.
THERE ARE FOUR RULES OF RESERVES that associations should know. Our company has pioneered foundational concepts & principles and provided extensive educational materials to the industry for over 35 years, but all can be distilled down to the rules below as the heart of planning for reserve projects at your association. Fundamental education is key to all of our success, as board members and professionals come and go over time.
ASSOCIATIONS WITH DECEMBER 31ST YEAR ENDS make up a large share of annual audits. There is often intense pressure on managers, accounting departments and audit firms to complete accurate and complete audits in a timely fashion. Completing an efficient audit requires strong communication and sharing of information.
The King County Public Health Officer issued an order on September 16, 2021, effective October 25, 2021. The Local Health Order requires people ages 12 and older to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a recent negative test result to enter certain establishments and events, including but not limited to restaurants and bars, gyms, indoor recreational events or establishments, and outdoor events with 500 or more people. A question has arisen as to whether the order applies to gyms, restaurants, and meeting rooms within common interest communities. The text of the order is not clear on the scope of its application. It does not make any exception for members-only establishments. It does refer ambiguously in one place to “public” facilities.
Whether preparing an annual budget or a reserve study, it is important to know how much money is available to spend and where the money is saved and recorded. Maintaining separate bank accounts for operating expenses or for reserves activities is both required by some statutes, and highly recommended. Having a bank account for each type of fund is a great place to start separating each fund’s financial activity.
Community associations use a system of accounting called fund accounting. As with non-profits and charities, the entity is collecting money for specific purposes, and should account for specific financial activity in pre-determined funds.
