Crofton Associates Inc. Property Management - Frequently Asked Questions

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Community Living FAQs

Association Living vs. Private Homes & Rentals

Q: What is the biggest difference between association living and rental living?
A: In an association the care of the building exteriors and grounds is governed by the Board, (elected homeowners from the property). Any interior maintenance to a person's home would be their responsibility. In a rental situation the property care and interior maintenance would be governed by the landlord.

Q: What is the biggest difference between association living and private ownership?
A: In an association the exterior care of the property is governed by the Board, (elected homeowners from the property). The Association is a mini government with a Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions. In private ownership the governing body may be the village/town or city in which you reside.

Association Boards

Q: What role does the Board play in Association living?
A: The Board is a volunteer group of homeowners who have final authority for choosing a property management company, approving variances to ensure the integrity of the association's appearance and making decisions for the use and distribution of association fees.

Q: How does someone participate on the Board?
A: An individual is elected to the board usually at the annual meeting. They serve a set term and must be re-elected if they choose to continue their participation. (Length and number of terms are defined in the association's declaration.)

Emergency

Q: What do I do in case of an emergency?
A: If the nature of the concern poses an immediate threat to the structure of the building or it's occupants, this would be a true emergency. Under these circumstances, please call 911 and then our emergency service at 248-3840.

Hours

Q: What are Crofton Associates', Inc. business hours?
A: Crofton Associates, Inc. is open Monday through Friday from 8:30AM to 5:00PM.

Q: What happens if I need help after hours?
A: You can reach our answering service by dialing our main number, 248-3840 or emailing to info@croftoninc.com to be reviewed the following day.

Q: Can I leave a voicemail message for my property manager?
A: Any message you wish to leave will be taken by our secretary or another member of our office staff during regular business hours.

Insurance

Does the Association insure my home? What would that cover?
A: Each association's policy on this matter is different. Please visit your association's specific page on this site for more information.

Q: How can I get information about my association's policy?
A: If this is for a mortgage related issue, the certificate of insurance is usually the document needed. This can be obtained by contacting our office and asking for the number of the insurance company. If you need more specific information you are welcome to visit our office to read the pertinent insurance policy documents.

Q: Why should I purchase my own individual insurance?
A: An association policy will not cover an individual's belongings. It is important for a homeowner to purchase their own individual policy to cover contents (form HO-6 "all risk"). A commonly used generalization is: If you could turn your house upside down and shake it, anything that falls out would not be covered by the association's policy.

(An association typically purchases coverage for the structure of the building in the form of a casualty insurance blanket policy, a liability policy and Directors and Officers policy. What this means is if your home were to burn down, the association would finance rebuilding it to the builder's specifications. If any improvements or betterments have been made the association would not be responsible to replace them unless your association has purchased an HO-32 rider on the policy.)


Maintenance Concerns How do I request maintenance? A: Simply call or email our office. Our Secretary handles most of the incoming calls. Any one of the staff can write up a work order for your request. Q: When do I need a variance? A: Anytime you are planning to make a change to the exterior of your unit you will need to complete a variance request form. These are reviewed on a monthly basis during association Board meetings. For more common requests like window and door replacements the process is often much shorter. Some restrictions apply in your association's rules and regulations. Be sure to consult your association's page on this site for more details. Q: How can I get a variance form? A: You can download a variance request form from your association's page within this site or by contacting our office and requesting one by mail. Q: What happens if I need repair or maintenance to the inside of my home? A: If you need maintenance or repair to the interior of your home the responsibility would lie with the homeowner. Ask about our home service program if you cannot find a contractor on your own. Our rates are competitive with most general contractors and the like. (This service is for small repairs only.) Q: How do I know who is responsible for a specific exterior maintenance concern? A: Each association's policy on this matter is different. Please contact Crofton directly with your concern. Pets Q: Are there any restrictions on pets at my association? A: Each association's policy on this matter is different. Please visit your association's specific page on this site for more information. Reminder: All pet owners are required to pick up after their pet no matter where it "goes". Parking Q: Are there any parking restrictions at my association? A: Each association's policy on this matter is different. Please visit your association's specific page on this site for more information. Payment Policy Q: What are acceptable forms of payment? A: You can make payments in one of four ways. The preferred method of payment for most homeowners is our ACH option. (This is an automatic monthly payment taken with your permission from your checking or savings account. Check your Association's page to view and print the correct form.) Direct payment through your bank. (These are paper checks, set-up by you on a monthly basis, on a date of your choosing.) Personal check Money order Selling Q: How can I request a statement of common charge? A: Our secretary handles the requests for closing documents, such as a statement of common charge. These requests are typically made by the seller's attorney or a financial institution. Please have the property address, closing date, new owner(s) name and your office contact information available at the time of your request. Documents available for request include, but are not limited to: Offering Plan, Audit/Financials, BFF, Budget, Statement of Common Charge. All related charges are provided at the time of request. (When requesting these documents please allow a minimum of 48 hours turn-around time from Crofton's receipt of payment to the arrival of the requested documents. All requests require payment prior to processing.)

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