In these situations, you can complain directly to this office by filing the CIC Complaint Form, which you can find under the “Forms and Applications” tab here: .dpor.virginia/cic-ombudsman.
Who governs homeowners associations in Virginia? HOAs are subject to a number of state, federal, and local laws and are governed by a common interest community board that creates and enforces certain rules and regulations contained in the HOA's governing documents.
You can find the required CIC Complaint Form under the “Forms and Applications” tab here: .dpor.virginia/cic- ombudsman. Once we receive the form, we will contact the association and require it to respond to the submitted complaint in a limited timeframe.
Many associations have communication channels in place so that homeowners can talk to the board or the community manager about any issues. However, if you wish to file a complaint against your HOA, you can do so with the Office of the Common Interest Community Ombudsman.
Once you buy a home that's part of an HOA, you automatically become a member of the HOA. HOA rules are legally binding, and you must adhere to all rules and regulations in the governing document. Yes, there are bylaws that you may not like, but there are no HOA loopholes.
Homeowners can sue a board member of an HOA in Virginia if they believe there has been a violation of the governing documents or state law. Legal action must be based on specific grievances, such as breach of fiduciary duty or failure to follow the association's rules.
Homeowners often ask whether local laws supersede the rules and regulations set forth by their homeowner association (HOA). The short answer is yes, local laws do supersede HOA rules.