Source: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/27/015
Timestamp: 2019-10-22 18:56:55
Document Index: 669511372

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 2', '§ 4', '§ 2', '§ 5', '§ 2', '§ 7', '§ 2', '§ 8', '§ 2', '§ 9', '§ 2', '§ 10', '§ 2', '§ 12', '§ 2', '§ 13', '§ 2', '§ 4', '§ 14', '§ 2', '§ 15', '§ 2', '§ 16', '§ 2', '§ 17', '§ 2', '§ 18', '§ 2', '§ 19', '§ 2', '§ 19', '§ 20', '§ 2', '§ 21', '§ 2', '§ 22', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 23', '§ 2', '§ 24', '§ 2', '§ 25', '§ 2', '§ 27', '§ 2', '§ 28', '§ 2', '§ 29', '§ 2', '§ 2453', '§ 5', '§ 2453', '§ 1']

Chapter 015: CONDOMINIUM OWNERSHIP ACT
Subchapter 001: CONDOMINIUM OWNERSHIP
This chapter shall be known as the "condominium ownership act." (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
This chapter shall apply only to property, the sole owner or all of the owners of which make the property subject to this chapter by duly executing and recording a declaration as herein provided. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
Each apartment or site, together with its undivided interest in the common areas and facilities, shall for all purposes constitute real property. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 4, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
Each apartment or site owner shall be entitled to the exclusive ownership and possession of his or her apartment or site. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 5, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
Each apartment or site owner shall comply strictly with the bylaws and with the administrative rules adopted under them, as either may be lawfully amended from time to time, and with the covenants, conditions and restrictions set forth in the declaration or in the deed to his or her apartment or site. Failure to comply with them shall be grounds for an action to recover sums due, for damages or injunctive relief or both maintainable by the manager or boards of directors on behalf of the association of owners or, in a proper case, by an aggrieved apartment or site owner. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 7, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
No apartment or site owner may do any work which would jeopardize the soundness or safety of the property, reduce the value thereof or impair an easement or hereditament without the unanimous consent of all the other apartment or site owners being first obtained. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
(a) After recording the declaration as provided in this chapter, and while the property remains subject to this chapter, no lien may thereafter arise or be effective against the property. During that period liens or encumbrances shall arise or be created only against each apartment or site and the percentage of undivided interest in the common areas and facilities, appurtenant to that apartment or site, in the same manner and under the same conditions in every respect as liens or encumbrances may arise or be created upon or against any other separate parcel of real property subject to individual ownership. Labor performed or materials furnished with the consent or at the request of an apartment or site owner or his or her agent or his or her contractor or subcontractor, shall not be a basis for filing a mechanic's lien against the apartment or site or any other property of any other apartment or site owner not expressly consenting to or requesting the work, except that the express consent shall be deemed to be given to the owner of any apartment or site in the case of emergency repairs thereto. Labor performed and materials furnished for the common areas and facilities, if duly authorized by the association of owners, the manager, or board of directors in accordance with this chapter, the declaration or bylaws, shall constitute a basis for filing a mechanic's lien against each of the apartments or sites and shall be subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section.
(b) If a lien against two or more apartments or sites becomes effective, the owners of the separate apartment or site may remove their apartment or site and the percentage of undivided interest in the common areas and facilities appurtenant to that apartment or site from the lien by payment of the fractional or proportional amounts attributable to each of the apartments or sites affected. The individual payment shall be computed by reference to the percentages appearing on the declaration. After any payment, discharge or other satisfaction the apartment or site and the percentage of undivided interest in the common areas and facilities appurtenant thereto shall thereafter be free and clear of the lien so paid, satisfied or discharged. That partial payment, satisfaction or discharge shall not prevent the lienor from proceeding to enforce his or her rights against the rest of the undischarged property. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 9, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
Annually, the common profits of the property may be distributed among, and the common expenses shall be charged to, the apartment or site owners according to the percentage of the undivided interest in the common areas and facilities. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 10, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
(6) Reference to recorded floor plan or site plan, and recorded lot plan. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 12, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
(a) Simultaneously with the recording of the declaration there shall be filed in the office of the recording officer a lot plan and, in the case of an apartment building, a set of the floor plans of the building showing the layout, location, apartment or site numbers, and dimensions of the apartments or sites, stating the name of the building or that it has no name. In the case of a mobile home park, there shall be filed in the office of the recording officer a site plan showing the layout, location, site numbers, and dimensions of the sites, and the layout, location, and materials of all utilities, including underground utilities. Each set of building or site plans shall bear the verified statement of a licensed architect, licensed professional engineer, or licensed land surveyor certifying that it is an accurate copy of portions of the plans of the building or site as filed with and approved by the municipal or other governmental subdivision having jurisdiction over the issuance of permits for the construction of buildings or mobile home parks. If the plans do not include a verified statement by the licensed architect, licensed professional engineer, or licensed land surveyor that they fully and accurately depict the layout, location, apartment or site numbers, and dimensions of the apartments or sites as built, there shall be recorded before the first conveyance of any apartment or site an amendment to the declaration, to which shall be attached a verified statement of a licensed architect, licensed professional engineer, or licensed land surveyor certifying that the plans previously filed, or being filed simultaneously with the amendment, fully and accurately depict the layout, location, apartment or site numbers, and dimensions of the apartments or sites as built. Plans shall be kept by the recording officer in a separate file for each building or park, indexed in the same manner as conveyance entitled to record, numbered serially in the order of receipt, each designated "apartment ownership" or "site ownership," with the name of the building or park, if any, each containing a reference to the book, page, and date of recording of the declaration. Correspondingly, the record of the declaration shall contain a reference to the file number of the floor plans of the building or of the site plans of the parks affected.
(b) If the declaration has been of record for 15 or more years, no effect on marketability of title shall be created by failure to file or record floor plans. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 13, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1989, No. 139 (Adj. Sess.); 1993, No. 97, § 2; 2017, No. 24, § 4, eff. May 4, 2017.)
At the time of the first conveyance of each apartment or site, every mortgage and other lien affecting the apartment or site, including the percentage of undivided interest of the apartment or site in the common areas and facilities, shall be paid and satisfied of record, or the apartment or site being conveyed and its percentage of undivided interest in the common areas and facilities shall be released therefrom by partial release duly recorded. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 14, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
(b) In addition to the records and indexes required to be maintained by the recording officer, the recording officer shall maintain an index or indexes whereby the record of each declaration contains a reference to the record of each conveyance of an apartment or site affected by the declaration, and the record of each conveyance of an apartment or site contains a reference to the declaration of the building of which the apartment is a part and the record of each conveyance of a site contains a reference to the declaration of the property of which the site is a part. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 15, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97 § 2.)
(b) Upon removal of the property from the provisions of this chapter, the property shall be considered to be owned in common by the apartment or site owners. The undivided interest in the property owned in common which shall appertain to each apartment or site owner shall be the percentage of undivided interest previously owned by the owner in the common areas and facilities. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 16, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
The removal provided for in section 1316 of this title shall in no way bar the subsequent resubmission of the property to the provisions of this chapter. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 17, eff. Jan. 23. 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
The administration of every property shall be governed by bylaws, a true copy of which shall be annexed to the declaration and made a part thereof. No modification of or amendment to the bylaws shall be valid unless set forth in an amendment to the declaration and such amendment is duly recorded. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 18, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
(1) The election from among the apartment or site owners of a board of directors, the number of persons constituting it, and that the terms of at least one-third of the directors shall expire annually; the powers and duties of the board; the compensation, if any, of the directors; the method of removal from office of directors; and whether or not the board may engage the services of a manager or managing agent.
(6) Maintenance, repair, and replacement of the common areas and facilities and payments therefor, including the method of approving payment vouchers.
(b) In the case of a mobile home park condominium of more than three units, the bylaws shall provide that no member or site owner shall have more than 30 percent of the aggregate association vote. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 19, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2; 1993, No. 141 (Adj. Sess.), § 19, eff. May 6, 1994.)
The manager or board of directors, as the case may be, shall keep or see to keeping of detailed, accurate records in chronological order, of the receipts and expenditures affecting the common areas and facilities, specifying and itemizing the maintenance and repair expenses of the common areas and facilities and any other expenses incurred. Those records and the vouchers authorizing the payments shall be available for examination by the apartment or site owners at convenient hours of week days. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 20, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
No apartment or site owner may exempt himself or herself from liability for his or her contribution towards the common expenses by waiver of the use or enjoyment of any of the common areas and facilities or by abandonment of his or her apartment or site. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 21, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
Each apartment or site and its percentage of undivided interest in the common areas and facilities shall be considered to be a parcel and shall be subject to separate assessment and taxation by each assessing unit and special district for all types of taxes authorized by law including but not limited to special ad valorem levies and special assessments, except that parcels held in identical ownership may be combined and treated as one parcel for purposes of assessment and taxation at the discretion of the listers. Neither the building, the property nor any of the common areas and facilities shall be deemed to be a parcel. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 22, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1987, No. 167 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. May 3, 1988; 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
(b) Where the mortgagee of a first mortgage of record or other purchaser of an apartment or site obtains title to the apartment or site as a result of foreclosure of the first mortgage, the acquirer of title, his or her successors and assigns, shall not be liable for the share of the common expenses or assessments by the association of owners chargeable to the mortgagor which became due before the acquisition of title to the apartment or site by the acquirer. The unpaid share of common expenses or assessments shall be considered common expenses collectible from all of the apartment or site owners including the acquirer, his or her successors and assigns. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 23, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
In a voluntary conveyance the grantee of an apartment or site shall be jointly and severally liable with the grantor for all unpaid assessments against the latter for his or her share of the common expenses up to the time of the grant or conveyance, without prejudice to the grantee's right to recover from the grantor the amounts paid by the grantee therefor. However, any such grantee shall be entitled to a statement from the manager or board of directors, as the case may be, setting forth the amount of the unpaid assessments against the grantor and the grantee shall not be liable for, nor shall the apartment or site conveyed be subject to a lien for, any unpaid assessments against the grantor in excess of the amount therein set forth. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 24, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
The manager or the board of directors, if required by the declaration, bylaws or by a majority of the apartment or site owners, or at the request of a mortgagee having a first mortgage of record covering an apartment or site, shall have the authority to, and shall, obtain insurance for the property against loss or damage by fire and such other hazards under such terms and for such amounts as shall be required or requested. Such insurance coverage shall be written on the property in the name of such manager or of the board of directors of the association of owners, as trustee for each of the apartment or site owners in the percentages established in the declaration. Premiums shall be common expenses. Provision for such insurance shall be without prejudice to the right of each apartment or site owner to insure his or her own apartment or site for his or her benefit. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 25, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
Without limiting the rights of any apartment or site owner, actions may be brought by the manager or board of directors (in either case in the discretion of the board of directors) on behalf of two or more of the apartment or site owners, as their respective interests may appear, with respect to any cause of action relating to the common areas and facilities of more than one apartment or site. Service of process on two or more apartment or site owners in any action relating to the common areas and facilities of more than one apartment or site may be made on the person designated in the declaration to receive service of process. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 27, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
(b) All agreements, decisions and determinations lawfully made by the association of owners in accordance with the voting percentages established in the act, declaration or bylaws, shall be binding on all apartment or site owners. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 28, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof in any circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of the chapter and of its application shall not be affected thereby. (Added 1967, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 29, eff. Jan. 23, 1968; amended 1993, No. 97, § 2.)
Subchapter 002: PROTECTION OF TENANTS IN CONVERSION OF RENTAL UNITS
(b) Relocation costs shall be payable within 10 days after the date the tenant vacates the unit; provided, however, that no tenant is eligible for relocation costs unless:
A violation of this subchapter is deemed to be a violation of 9 V.S.A. § 2453, and is subject to all rights, obligations and penalties provided under 9 V.S.A. chapter 63. (Added 1985, No. 175 (Adj. Sess.), § 5.)
Subchapter 003: PROTECTION OF TENANTS IN CONVERSION OF MOBILE HOME PARKS
A violation of this subchapter is deemed to be a violation of 9 V.S.A. § 2453, and is subject to all rights, obligations and penalties provided under 9 V.S.A. chapter 63. (Added 1993, No. 97, § 1.)