Collections and liens
Know which unpaid accounts you can prove
Before a board acts on a debt, it needs to show that the charge was authorized, that notice was delivered and that the required waiting period has passed.
Sign in as the treasurer and open Collections.
- 2 of 8 accounts have every required record in place and are marked "Provable"
- One item missing: the assessment does not cite a board vote
- An account ready for a lien
Figures from the sample community in the demo.
The lien readiness check
Five questions checked before you act
For any account that owes money, choose the step you are considering, such as placing a lien, recording it or referring the account to an attorney. The check lists what you can't yet show.
When the check is unsure, it tells the board it isn't ready yet. That is the safer mistake to make.
One account, before and after
4 missingProvable
Was the charge authorized?
Every charge names the board action that approved it.
Do your governing documents allow it?
The recorded declaration is on file, with the article that authorizes each charge.
Was notice delivered, and where?
The method, the address and the result are recorded with the notice.
Has the cure period passed?
The waiting period you set for the owner to pay is checked before a case can move forward.
Is it still collectable?
The legal time limit is counted from each charge's own due date.
The records behind the check
Recorded when it happens and never rewritten
Charges, notices and other collection records are not overwritten. A mistake is fixed with a correcting entry, and the original stays on file.
Each charge stands alone.
Every charge keeps its own due date, because legal time limits apply to each charge separately.
Payments are matched to charges.
The record shows which charges each payment cleared.
Delivery is recorded for you.
Send certified mail from the board console, and the method, address and tracking number are saved to the account.
Clear about ordinary mail.
Ordinary mail shows a letter was sent. It does not show it was received, and the record says so.
Write-offs need a board vote.
Each write-off is dated and records the board's reason.
The full process
From first charge to released lien
- 1
Charge.
Dues, a special assessment or a fine, citing the board action that approved it.
- 2
Late fee.
Charged once per overdue item after the grace period, and never while a payment plan is active.
Optional - 3
Warning letter.
Written from a template and numbered, with its delivery recorded.
- 4
Privileges paused.
Amenity use and voting can pause after your limit and a warning. Paying and documents stay available.
Optional - 5
Payment plan.
The owner requests a plan in the portal. If your policy allows, approving it lifts a suspension.
- 6
Lien readiness check.
Shows "Provable" when every record is in place, or exactly what is missing.
- 7
Lien register.
Record the lien filing and, once the debt is paid, its release. Title companies will ask for both.
A worked example
An owner is 90 days behind
The owner has missed three quarterly dues payments and hasn't answered letters. The board wants to know whether a lien is an option.
Open the account in Collections.
Is the legal description missing?
Copy it from the deed.
Is the board action missing?
Record the motion that approved the dues.
Is proof of delivery missing?
Issue the notice and record how it was delivered.
The status changes to Provable
You can now move the case to "Lien eligible".
The database lets a case move forward only when every requirement is met. If anything is missing, the case stays where it is.
The owner's side
Firm with owners, and fair to them
The same figures.
The owner sees each charge exactly as the treasurer does.
Payment plans.
Owners can request 2 to 12 installments from the portal.
Warning first.
By default, privileges aren't paused until a warning has been recorded.
Never withheld.
Owners can always pay, read documents and notices, and contact the board.
What the software does not do
- It does not give legal advice, and it does not file anything with the county.
- It is not legal advice. Where a starting set of rules exists for your state, confirm the time periods and procedures with your attorney.
- Suggested starting values are clearly labeled, and your governing documents always take priority.
- When your attorney asks what happened, you can download the household's communication history as a PDF.
FAQ