Condominium and Cooperative Law in Alabama

Condominiums and cooperatives are types of "common interest" communities.

They are communities where each individual or family resident rents or owns an unit which is part of a larger building, containing other, similar, residential units. The residents are responsible responsible for the maintenance of the common areas of their living areas, such as gardens, walkways, lawns, and swimming pools. They usually meet this responsibility by paying a monthly fee to support this maintenance.

If you simply look at one of these communities, you won't be able to tell whether it's a cooperative or a condominium community.

The basic difference is that, in condominium communities, the units are purchased and owned by their residents, and they also collectively own the common areas of the development. In a cooperative community, the land and buildings in which the housing units are owned by a single corporation or association. The individual units are rented by the residents, not purchased.

Laws and Regulations Concerning Common Interest Communities in Prichard, Alabama

There are a large number of laws in Prichard, Alabama that can affect condominiums and cooperatives, but few, if any, of them are unique to such common-interest communities. Instead, they're mostly governed by laws of general application, covering zoning, contracts, and landlord/tenant relations.

Your day-to-day life in a common interest community will probablyy be impacted more by the rules set by the owner or manager of the property, rather than any local or state laws.

The land on which these communities sit is private property, so the owners have significant leeway when it comes to setting rules regarding what tenants can and can't do on the property. These rules generally govern things like noise levels, cleanliness, long-term guests, and pets. They are often designed with the goal of balancing residents' rights to a clean and quiet neighborhood, with their individual autonomy.

Some rules set by property owners or managers may not be enforceable, however. For example, in Prichard, Alabama, any rule which purports to exclude residents based on race, color, national origin, or religion will not be valid. There are likely some others, as well.

Can a Prichard, Alabama Attorney Help?

If you have a problem with your landlord, your community association, or a neighbor (which the landlord is unwilling or unable to address), an experienced real estate attorney in Prichard, Alabama will be able to help.