Correct Mailing Addresses

Texas - Who is responsible for keeping correct owner or Board?

Tim,
Our Board keeps a record of our owner's contact info, however, it is the owner's responsibility to notify us of any changes. This is true for our association, the county appraisal district and other Texas entities. When our POA files a lien or a small claim, we notify the owner at the "last known address". If they do not receive notification because they did not supply us with an address change, it does not reflect on us.
Hope this helps.
Lynette

Susan,

Thanks, but what is the initial source of your owner data? County records, the homeowner?

Tim

TimB4,

Thanks...but what about rentals and vacant lots? We had an undeliverable notice rate of about 12% using owner supplied addresses. The treasurer switched to the County Tax Office mailing address and our problen dropped to less than 2%. So far so good! A couple of owners are unhappy. One bought a second property and mistakenly put that address as the mailing address on the deed (although they still live here). The county picks up the last address provided as a mailing for a given individuals tax account and replaces on all properties owned. Hence, for the last three years our assessment notices and the tax bills have been mailed to the non-residence address. Not a single comment until this year. A simple note to the county would fix but they don't want to hear that........

I was trying to find out if there was a standard procedure, like using the county data etc.

I guess not!

Thanks again,

Tim A

Tim,

You sound like you are on the right track.

Our initial source of contact info is simply me being nosey. haha. Most of our property owners live out of town and have empty lots, so much of our communication is done via e-mail. Every year I send out an e-mail request for updated info to include email, address, phone number and preference for communication, (e-mail or mail). If I don't get a reply I will send multiple e-mail requests, then a phone call, then a letter. A couple of our members are strictly by mail only, so I start with a letter to them.

I rely on the tax office some as well. I look through their electronic files once or twice a year just to see if anything jumps out at me. Surprisingly, I have found some changes that way.

Usually a change in ownership is handled through a title company. I keep the local title companies up to date on who to contact for info, (resale certificates or other), in our POA.

When we have any notice of liens go out, we send them certified mail, return receipt requested. In one of our small claims cases, we used the returned letter as proof to the judge that we had tried to contact them. (even though they claimed otherwise). It was all the proof we needed to convince the judge that we had made the necessary efforts to let the owner know of the unpaid balance.

It is vaguely written in our CC&R's and clearly written in our Assessment Policy that it is the owner's responsibility to keep the info updated.

I have also used google to find current info on an owner. But like I said, I am nosey. haha

Tim,
One more note:
If you have members who only offer a PO Box, try to get a mailing address for them as a back up just in case you ever have to serve anyone papers. You can send certified letters to a PO Box, but a sheriff can't serve papers to one.