Condominium and Cooperative Law in Rhode Island

Co-ops and condo communities 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 typically meet this responsibility by paying a monthly fee to support this maintenance.

Simply looking at the outside (or inside, for that matter) of a condo or cooperative community, you likely can't tell which it is.

This is because there are no defining physical characteristics which are unique to one type of cooperative community, but not the other. The important differences aren't embodied in physical characteristics, but in the legal ownership arrangement governing the communities: in a condominium community, the residents own the units they live in. In a cooperative community, the units are rented.

Laws and Regulations Concerning Common Interest Communities in Providence County, Rhode Island

Providence County, Rhode Island likely has several laws and regulations concerning common interest communities. However, these are mostly limited to the laws and regulations (zoning, land use, etc.) that concern all real estate owners.

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.

Because the land they occupy is typically private property, it is the owners of this property who make most of the rules that will affect your daily conduct. A responsible manager will typically make rules designed to balance your right to live as you please in your own residence, with the right your neighbors have to a clean, safe, and quiet living environment.

The enforceability of some of these rules may depend on Providence County, Rhode Island's laws governing relations between landlords and tenants.

Can a Providence County, Rhode Island Attorney Help?

If you have problems with your landlord, your homeowners association, or a neighbor, a knowledgeable Providence County, Rhode Island real estate lawyer may prove invaluable.