Condominium and Cooperative Law in Utah

Co-ops and condo communities are forms of "common interest communities."

These residential communities are composed of a single piece of land, occupied by one or more buildings, each of which contains more than one housing unit. The units are owned or leased by the persons who live in them, but the buildings themselves, and the land they sit on, are owned either collectively by the residents, or by some third party. The residents are responsible for the upkeep of the buildings and the common areas of the property (walkways, lawns, swimming pools, etc.). To that end, they typically pay a periodic fee to cover maintenance.

If you simply look at a condominium or cooperative community, you likely won't be able to tell if it's one or the other.

This is due to the fact that there are no visual or physical characteristics that can distinguish one from the other. All the differences between them lie in the ownership arrangements that the residents have. With a condominium, the residents typically own their housing unit, and collectively own the land on which it sits. In a cooperative, the residents rent the units, and the land is owned by a single entity, either a corporation or other type of business association.

Laws and Regulations Concerning Common Interest Communities in Lindon, Utah

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

One's daily life in a cooperative or condominium community is more likely to be affected by the rules set by the owners or managers of the property, rather than the regulations of your state or city.

The land that common interest communities occupy is typically private property. Therefore, the owners of the property are free to make certain rules governing what is and isn't allowed on it. A good manager or owner will typically make every effort to strike a balance between residents' freedom to do what they want in their homes, and the rights of their neighbors to a safe, clean, and reasonably quiet living space.

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

Can a Lindon, Utah 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 efficient real estate attorney in Lindon, Utah will be able to help.