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Resident Firewood Assessment

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skiwindjunkie

Junior Member
What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? Vermont
As per tradition approved by owners several years ago (before our current Association Manager was hired and before I bought) unit owners who either live full time, or have a full time winter occupants are assessed a resident firewood charge. For full timers it is now going to be assesed at $375 extra for those occupants. My question is to what right can an association not call this discriimination? I am a full time winter resident, but not a summer one. I stayed at my boyfriends 3-4 days a week last year and was still charged for firewood. Can an association legally discriminate against those who call the condo their home vs. vacation property owners who used their unit every weekend and or have renters? The criteria is so generalized for how much wood full timers actually use. They state that its based on logistics. If an occupant burned two cords of wood per year the cost would be about $500. But given that they buy about 10-12 cords a year that put each owners pro rata share at (12 months/18 units)=.61 cord. Doing the math for a full time person: 2.0 cord less .61 cord=1.39 additional cords. Using price per cord of $250 x 1.39 =$375. I feel that the burden of firewood should be based on your % of ownership just like all other assesments and fees are calculated. Is it not a full time occupants problem that other unit owners do not use their unit full time in the winter. Will there be a larger charge for the common area usage as well to full timers? Will I be able to recieve credit for landscaping cost in the summer since I am not here? How is this legal for them to do this? Vacation owners severely out weigh full time winter owners by a considerable amount. So we can not win in a vote.
 


wayne-o

Member
Its not the management company's or the other residents fault that you decide not to live in your unit. Thats the thing about condo's, expenses are usually shared by all the residents. If your roof leaked, would you only want them to repair half of it since you only live there half of the year?
 

skiwindjunkie

Junior Member
I agree Wayne. I am fighting the firewood fee. Firewood is a cost that should be calculated just like other fees and assessment. It is calculated based on the percentage of ownership not the occupancy frequency. Thanks!
 

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