FAQs

Do you have a question? Below are topics that arise often for community association members. If you have a specifc question, please contact us.

What is a Homeowners/Condominium Association?
Who is the Board of Directors?
What does the Board of Directors do?
What does Ravenel Associates do?
What do I need to do for exterior changes?
Are there rules in place to settle homeowner disputes?
How do you determine my Assessment and how often do I pay one?
Do you accept online payments or credit cards? Where do I send my check?

What happens if I do not pay Assessment timely?
Parking is a problem in my neighborhood, what can I do?
How do you handle violations for renters?
Help, I see alligators in the pond!
What are my insurance requirements?
Amenity or Security Access
What are the rules on pets?

FAQ Answers

What is a Homeowners/Condominium Association?

A. An Association or Condominium is a non-profit corporation of property owners formed for the purpose of maintaining the common property. Associations are governed by a Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions and Condominium are governed by a Master Deed. All owners, by virtue of their ownership of a property are members of the Association or Condominium Regime. Each owner, by acceptance of a deed to the property shall be members of the Association/Condominium Regime and shall be subject to the recorded documents.

Who is the Board of Directors?

A. The Directors are owners that are elected by the members at the Annual Meeting of Owners. During the original development and construction of the property the developer normally serves as the Board until such time as temporary appointments are made by the developer. Terms for Board Members are generally staggered so the entire Board is not voted out annually. Board Members are volunteers and make decisions on behalf of the owners.

What does the Board of Directors do?

A. The Board has a fiduciary duty to prepare and adopt an annual budget, levying and collect assessment, provide for the operation, care, upkeep, and maintenance of those portions of the common property as provided in the documents. The Board Members are the decision makers for the Association and they provide the policy for the management company to follow in accordance with the documents.

What does Ravenel Associates do?

A. As the management agent we handle all daily operations including but not limited to the following:

Schedule/attend meetings of the Board;
Schedule/attend annual membership meetings;
Prepare all meeting agendas;
Draft meeting minutes;
Prepare and mail to all members materials for the annual meetings and other information as requested by the Board;
Prepare bid specification, coordinate bids and the preparation of contracts for the review of the Board for all normal day to day service contractors;
Obtain quotes for insurance on the common property including general liability and directors and officers coverage;
Coordinate all insurance claims;
Maintain all records as required by applicable Federal and State Laws;
Provide billing and collection efforts as directed by the board and/or documents;
Process and pay all ordinary expenses and obligations out of the Association's funds;
Handle all correspondence relating to business matters;
Provide periodic inspections of the common property as they relate to the ordinary, day-to-day operations including supervision of the vendors for landscaping, pest control, refuse removal and other similar services included in the budget;
Handle rule enforcement including any fines that the Board has approved. Many of the document restrictions are different so it is important that you review these documents prior to the purchase the property. Your sales agent or developer can provide you with an advance copy of the Covenants or Master Deed outlining the restrictions of the property.

What do I need to do for exterior changes?

A. Your documents will spell out the restrictions for any exterior changes including rules established for painting, screening porches, pools, fences, sheds, satellite dishes and other similar items. There is usually language in the documents referring to an (Architectural Review Committee or Board of Directors who make this determination. Your managing agent can supply the proper forms to submit for an exterior change.

Are there rules in place to settle homeowner disputes?

A. Homeowner disputes need to be settled between the owners involved. There is nothing in the governing documents that provide the Board with the power to handle such disputes. We suggest if you cannot solve a problem with open communication with your neighbor that you contact the local authorities to see if they may have Livability Court as a means to settle the dispute.

How do you determine my Assessment and how often do I pay one?

A. Each year an annual budget is adopted based on the expenses necessary for the upkeep of the common property such as landscaping, pond maintenance, insurance, utilities, administrative costs, reserves for future projects, etc. Your assessment is based on the amount necessary to fund these expenditures. All owners are members of the Association and are required to pay their share of the costs as stated in the documents. The timing of the payment is dictated by the documents and may be annually, quarterly or monthly.

Do you accept online payments or credit cards? Where do I send my check?

A. We do over ACH which is an electric fund transfer. You can obtain a form here to fill on our web site which will draft the assessment amount. We also have a service that handles credit card and on-line payments. The bank handling the payment does charge a fee for this service. Information about on-line payments can be located on our web site.

You will receive a coupon book with envelopes that have the mailing address for our lock box assessment payment service. This is a secure bank lockbox and payments are deposited directly into the Associations bank account and credited directly to your statement in our C3 accounting system.

What happens if I do not pay Assessment timely?

A. Each owner is liable for any assessments as outlined in the documents. These amounts shall be the personal obligation of each person who is the owner of the unit at the time when the assessment fell due and may be collected in the same manner as other debts or liens are collected under South Carolina law. If any assessment becomes delinquent, the Association, acting through the Board of Directors, may institute suit to collect all amounts due pursuant to the provisions of the documents. Some documents also suspend the owner's right to vote and/or to use the Common Elements.

Parking is a problem in my neighborhood, what can I do?

A. On-street parking is prohibited in most communities by the documents and violators will be fined. There are some streets that are public and this would be handled through the local governmental agency. You should refer to your documents to see if there is any language about parking limitations.

How do you handle violations for renters?

A. Owners are required to provide the rules and regulations including any restrictions to their renters and they must comply just the same as an owner. Violations letters are sent to the renter and the owner and fines are posted on the owner's account, if necessary. Any fines are collected for the use of the Association and do not go to the management agency.

Help, I see alligators in the pond!

A. Alligator removal used to be provided by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and they would only remove one that created a hazard to people and pets. This normally happens when people feed them. We are now required to hire a licensed "trapper". Remember they were here first and normally do not create a problem. If you have concerns, you should contact our office and we will have someone check it out.

What are my insurance requirements?

A. The documents of condominium and townhomes require insurance for all perils including fire, wind and hail, earthquake and flood (if applicable) to be purchased on behalf of the Association.

In most Associations the insurance the building coverage includes floor coverings, permanently installed fixtures, cabinets, appliances, and machinery & equipment used to service the building or premises and materials intended for use in construction or repair of the building. The coverage is for builder grade coverage and owners need to purchase a policy to contents and any improvements/alterations to your unit. You should also purchase coverage for loss of use and loss assessment.

If you do not have insurance to cover these items, you should contact your insurance agent to inquire about an HO6 policy. An HO6 policy is specifically designed for association coverage.

Amenity or Security Access

A. There are Associations that have codes, fobs or gate openers for various amenities or access into the property. Normally, these are issued to the owner and should be transferred to the new owner upon a sale. If you do not request this at closing you may be charged an additional fee to purchase these items. Make sure you request this from the seller of the property.

What are the rules on pets?

A. Pets must be on a leash and under your personal control and supervision. Most Association and the local government have strict leash laws. Do not allow your pets to run loose and pick up after them. Most documents have restrictions and levy fines.