November 3, 2011
In its recent decsion in MRA Property Management, Inc., et al. v. Armstrong, No. 93, Sept. Term 2007, filed on October 25, 2011, a majority of the Maryland Court of Appeals held that the Maryland Consumer Protection Act applies to purchases of condominium units with respect to the information required to be provided by a council [...]
August 30, 2011
I obtained a noteworthy ruling this morning in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County while representing a condominium unit owner in a construction defect suit. The sales agreement provided for arbitration of claims, and contained a provision that precludes the arbitration panel from awarding attorney’s fees. Under Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc Code Ann. Sec. 3-221, an arbitration [...]
July 12, 2011
The Maryland General Assembly enacted new legislation aimed at helping to resolve disputes concerning the election of officers and board members of a homeowners association. Senate Bill 532 amends Section 11B-115 of the Maryland Homeowners Association Act to give the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office authority to resolve election disputs. A lot owner [...]
June 29, 2011
Unlike the Title 10 warranties that are applicable to the sales of all new homes in Maryland, including condominiums, the Title 11 condominium warranties “may not be excluded or modified” by any action or written document. In other words, the purchaser cannot be required to agree to eliminate these statutory warranties, or change the terms of the [...]
June 6, 2011
Section 11-131 of the Maryland Condominium Act provides significant warranty protections for the purchasers for new condominium units. Section 11-131 (a) codified the ruling in Starfish, and established that new home warranties under Section 10-203 “apply to all sales by developers” of condominiums, and that “a newly constructed private dwelling unit means a newly constructed [...]
April 27, 2011
The recent session of the Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 887, which limits the right of recission belonging to purchasers of a new condominium units. The measure, which takes effect October 1, 2011, amends Section 11-126(e) of the Maryland Condominium Act. That statute gives new condominium purchasers the right to rescind their contracts after receiving certain condominium documents, or [...]
April 25, 2011
The Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 679, which permits condominiums to adopt a requirement that unit owners maintain insurance on their units. The bill was signed into law by the Governor on April 12, 2011, and takes effect October 1, 2011. The law adds new Section 11-114.2 to the Maryland Condominium Act to provide that condominium bylaws may include [...]
April 13, 2011
Pursuant to legislation passed in the closing hours of this year’s session of the Maryland General Assembly, four (4) months of unpaid assessments due to condominiums and homeowner associations, up to a maximum of $1,200, will now receive priority over mortgages, but only those recorded after October 1, 2011. As reported in my post of March 18, legislation [...]
March 18, 2011
Associations continue to suffer from an epidemic of unpaid assessments. Such delinquent owners are often also behind in their mortgage payments, which can lead to the lender foreclosing. Once the lender forecloses and takes title, it becomes responsible for assessments going forward, but not for past due assessments. As in last year’s session, the legislature [...]
December 23, 2010
I recently tried a construction defect case in which I was able to secure a significant jury award on behalf of the owners of a townhome in Montgomery County in a claim involving faulty construction and unfair and deceptive trade practices under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act. I represented Subhash and Rita Dhawan in a suit against [...]
Marylandcondolaw.com is written by Raymond D. Burke, a principal in Ober|Kaler’s Construction Group. One of the region's top construction and real estate development lawyers, Ray has more than 25 years of experience in matters relating to condominium and other multi-use development matters.