Do I need to pay HOA fees? Never received mailbox key and key fob from HOA

Hello All, I just closed on a condo last Wednesday and called the HOA on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Monday, and today requesting a key fob to the building, the key access code to the building, and a mail key to my mailbox. Right now I am piggy-backing off of other people to get into the building. Since I do not have access to the mailbox and just a key to my condo unit in a high rise do I have an obligation to pay the HOA board? I cannot receive any bills, therefore, I do not know who to send the check out to or who even to pay? Right now, I am saying "I did my best" to try and contact them but they are not responding. I just get forwarded a voicemail. Not a good first impression for this HOA management company. Anyone else have this issue when they first moved in?

For starters, I would expect to get the fob and keys from the prior owner at closing.

Your Covenants (or CCRs or Deed Restictions or some other name) constitute a contract that you became a party to when you bought the condo. Hopefully you did get copy of those at closing. They generally define in detail what your and the association's responsibilities are. They typically state that you owe dues, it's your responsibility to know when and how much to pay, and any failure to pay dues for any reason potentially subjects you to collections at your cost, a lien on your property, and finally, foreclosure.

As the previous post mentioned, withholding dues is most likely to end up costing you money and aggravation. It does seem to be poor form on the part of the association or their management company to not return your calls. Do they have an on-site office or are they remote? Have you tried contacting a board member to let them know the management company is not responsive?

Hopefully you know this already, but just in case...
The association is governed by a board of directors that you and your neighbors elect. Most (but not all) association hire a management company to handle day to day operations since board members are not paid and most don't have the time or inclination to do a full time job for free. The management company is hired by the board and operates at the direction of the board.

I understand I have an obligation to pay and I have all intentions of paying. At closing I was informed by the seller and also in writing that after we close I will need to call the management company to receive a new key fob and the mail key as that is the time the mailbox and property is my own. The first bill will be sent to me by mail with my account information to pay the home owners association online but I can't get into the mailbox. I will visit the management company this Friday to see if I can get everything straightened out.

What size is your condo building, Dallas?

What do you mean you "called the HOA"? Would that be the prop. mgr.? Or who? Was there an answering machine?

Does the property manager (PM) have an office on the premises?

Does s/he have hours for residents to visit? Is the PM there only on Fridays? Doesn't the PM or her/his Mgnt. Co. have a second phone number too??

Are you saying there was no contact information for your HOA when you closed escrow? That all your documents thou are given say nothing?

What do your closing papers say about the dues you probably paid in advance--probably several days or even a month??

Does your realtor know nothing? Your attorney or escrow officer for the closing of the sale to you?

Is there no info posted in your mailroom about anything having to do with your condo building?

Is there a security officer you can talk to? What about custodial staff?? Can you ask a neighbor how to contact the PM?

I also live in a high rise, there seem to be some missing pieces to your misfortune, but I'm not sure what they are??

Did you ask your neighbors who is on the Board and then talk to a board member about your issue?

Did you ask your neighbors for other options to contact the MC/PM?

Did you send a certified letter to the registered agent of the Association asking for the information and listing the dates and times you have left a message?

Have you gone directly to the offices of the management company/pm and talk to them in person?

Leaving a phone call or two or three or four is, in my opinion, not doing your best to resolve the situation. It should be all that is required but sometimes you need to take an extra step or two.

The condo association will hire a lawyer to foreclose on you. You will go to court and owe all the legal fees and back condo fees. The lawyer fees could easily be $8k. Do you really want to pay a $8k penalty for not paying your condo fees?

You need to get in touch with the condo association and pay them. Saying I didnt know doesnt work.