Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/02/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  There has been gross mismanagement of my account beginning with the misapplication of funds by Walnut Grove Condominium Association’s management company ********** in 2021. This resulted the incorrect assessments and subsequent insufficient withdrawal of funds by the condo association’s third party vendor Click Pay. Upon discovery of this error, I immediately remitted payment for the amounts in arrears. However, due to these issues with ********, I ceased the automatic debiting of my bank account. Using the coupon payment book provided by ********** Condominium Management , I remitted my September and October 2022 payments via my banking institution’s bill pay service. Both the September and October payments were returned as undeliverable by my banking institution. It wasn’t until late October 2022, when the association sent an updated coupon payment booklet ,that my payments were credited My banking institution has confirmed that payments for December 2022- March 2023 payments have been remitted, received and credited. The Walnut Grove has denied any liability and threatened legal action if payment of the full assessments including legal fees was not remitted within 10 days of February 10, 2023. On February 18, 2023 I mailed a check for the full amount of assessments due for the months of September, October and November 2022. ( less any fees or penalties as these have resulted due to **********’ clerical errors and address misprint). On 3/10/2023, I received an e-mail from the Walnut Grove attorney stating that he had not received payment. Additionally, on 3/16,/2023 I received a letter indicating that Effective March 1, 2023 Walnut Grove Condominium Association had terminated its contract with ********** and secured a new management company. I am uncertain how to proceed as I am simply seeking to pay my condominium assessments for the months that are in arrears without penalty.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/15/2023

  June 15, 2023 

  Dear Dispute Resolution Team,  
  Please be advised that this firm represents the Walnut Grove Condominium, Inc.  ********* ******** (“Complainant” or “********”), is the record owner of ***** ******** *****, Unit ***, Rockville, Maryland, ***** within the Association.  Accordingly, ******** has an obligation to adhere to the Association’s governing  documents. Article VI, Sec. 1 of the Association’s Bylaws provides, inter alia, that “all co owners are obligated to pay the assessments imposed by the Association to meet the  common expenses.” Further, “The assessment […] shall immediately become a lien on  the condominium unit for which it is due, and upon sixty days’ default in payment of  any installment thereon, the balance of said lien shall be accelerated and declared due and payable in full.”  

  According to our records, the Complainant’s account was turned over to our  office for collections purposes in December 2022, after accumulating a balance of  approximately $3,140.56. In accordance with the Association’s governing documents  and the Maryland Condominium Act, on December 29, 2022 our office prepared a  Notice of Intent to Record a Lien and a Validation Notice for amounts due. Given that  the Complainant expressed her issues with submitting timely payments to the  Association, we, as well as the Association’s Property Management Company  suggested that ******** submit a request in writing for any amounts charged that she  would like to be waived. Accordingly, after receiving ********’s proposal for a waiver  of all fees and penalties, including legal fees, related to her property, our office  forwarded the proposal to the Association’s Board of Directors (“Board”) for approval. 
  
  On February 10, 2023, our office provided the Complainant with the Board’s  response to her waiver request in which we provided her with an updated Statement of  Account and the details of the Board’s decision. While the Board decided to reject the  Complainant’s request, in the interest of resolving the matter, the Board agreed to  waive $210.55 in administrative costs and late charges if payment in full ($3,394.70) was  submitted within ten (10) days to our office. On February 14, 2023 ******** notified  our office that she would be submitting payment pursuant to the Settlement Letter.  However, on March 24, 2023, the owner submitted payment in the amount of $2,329.48  directly to the Association, counter to the Association’s approved waiver conditions.  Despite ********’s payment and submission of payments for her current assessments,  given her failure to adhere to the Association’s approved waiver conditions, legal fees  and collection cost will continue to accrue on her account until her account is brought  current.  
  As I understand from ********’s Complaint, she is requesting a billing  adjustment of her account. However, given the Board’s previously approved billing  adjustment and waiver detailed above, the Complainant’s request for relief is moot and  must be dismissed. Although a waiver request was proposed, the Association’s Board  ultimately has the deciding authority to approve or reject such requests. Should  ******** wish to submit payment for her account or inquire as to her current account  balance, she may contact our office for more information.