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Texas HOA & condo law, in plain English

Texas has two sets of rules. Homeowners associations follow chapter 209 of the Texas Property Code. Condominiums follow chapter 82, the Uniform Condominium Act, or chapter 81 if they were created before 1994. Hearings, resale certificates, foreclosure and redemption all work differently in each, so start by working out which one you're in.

On this page: Does this apply to you? · Violation letters and fines · Buying or selling · The management certificate · Board members · Dues, liens and foreclosure · HOA or condo at a glance · Who to ask · What changes next

Does this apply to you?

Look at the first page of your declaration. If it says "condominium", chapter 82 (or chapter 81) is your law. If not, it is almost certainly chapter 209.

Your homeMain lawWorth knowing
House or townhome in a subdivision or planned development with a mandatory HOAProperty Code ch. 209 (209.002, 209.003)The name doesn't matter: "homeowners' association", "community association" or similar (209.003(c)). Resale certificates and HOA websites are in ch. 207. What an HOA cannot ban is in ch. 202.
Condo created on or after 1 January 1994ch. 82, the Uniform Condominium Act (82.002(a))Chapter 209 does not apply to a condominium (209.003(d)), and neither does ch. 207 (207.002(b)).
Condo created before 1 January 1994ch. 81 (81.0011), plus listed parts of ch. 82 (82.002(c), (c-1))An older condo can opt fully into ch. 82 by amending its declaration (82.002(a)).
Townhome set up legally as a condominiumch. 82A "townhouse regime" is inside the ch. 209 definition, but a townhome legally set up as a condominium is a condo.
Housing co-opNo Texas statute written for residential housing co-ops was foundCo-ops are rare in Texas and run under their own corporate documents. Ask a Texas-licensed attorney.
Check this one: the Houston area. Chapter 204 gives HOAs extra powers in subdivisions in a county of 3.3 million or more people, and in some neighboring counties (204.002(a)). It does not apply to condos. Ask your association whether ch. 204 applies to your subdivision.

There is no Texas HOA regulator. The Texas State Law Library says: "There is no Texas state agency that oversees property owners' associations." The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) runs the management certificate search at hoa.texas.gov, but says it "does not have regulatory authority over HOAs." For a breach of chapter 209, an owner's main route is the justice court for the precinct where the subdivision lies (209.017).

Got a violation letter or a fine?

HOAs: your 30 days run from mailing

Before an HOA can fine you, suspend your use of the common areas, charge you for property damage, sue you (other than to collect assessments or foreclose) or report a debt to a credit bureau, it must send you written notice by certified mail (209.006(a)). The notice must describe the violation, give a date to cure it if it can be cured, and tell you that you may request a hearing "on or before the 30th day after the date the notice was mailed" (209.006(b)).

Check the mailing date, not the day you opened the letter. A letter that sat in your mailbox while you were away has already used part of your 30 days.
  • Cure it and there's no fine. If you fix a curable violation by the cure date, "a fine may not be assessed" for it (209.006(e)). That right doesn't apply if you had notice and a chance to cure the same thing in the preceding six months (209.006(d)).
  • The hearing. Ask in writing (209.007(a)). The board must hold it within 30 days after it gets your request, with at least 10 days' notice of the date, time and place. Either side may make an audio recording (209.007(c)).
  • The evidence packet. At least 10 days before the hearing, the HOA must give you the documents, photos and communications it plans to use. If it doesn't, you get an automatic 15-day postponement (209.007(f), (g)).
  • Attorney's fees. You aren't liable for fees incurred before the hearing ends or, if you don't ask for a hearing, before your deadline to ask (209.008(b)). You can ask for copies of the invoices (209.008(d)).
  • Fines need an open meeting. A board can't levy fines by email vote; it takes an open meeting with notice (209.0051(h)). An HOA that can fine must adopt an enforcement policy with a schedule of fines, and post it or send it to owners every year (209.0061).
  • Brown lawns. No fine under a green-lawn rule while a mandatory drought watering restriction is in force, or until the 60th day after it is lifted (202.008, from 1 September 2025).
No dollar cap on HOA or condo fines was found in Texas law. What the law does require is that an HOA fine be in its published schedule (209.0061). And SB 711 (2025) made no change to fines, violation notices or hearings, whatever some websites say.

A board's decisions are presumed reasonable unless a court finds them "arbitrary, capricious, or discriminatory" (202.004(a)), so challenging a board's judgment is uphill. Challenging whether it followed the steps above is a different matter.

Condos are different

A condo association can fine only after notice and an opportunity to be heard (82.102(a)(12)). The notice must state the amount of the proposed fine and say you may request a board hearing "not later than the 30th day after the date of the notice" (82.102(d)). The cure right doesn't apply if a similar violation was noticed in the preceding 12 months, not six (82.102(d)). After it levies a fine, the association must tell you within 30 days (82.102(e)).

Letters for this: a hearing request (HOA or condo), a missing evidence packet, a cured violation, the fine schedule and minutes, and the attorney's fee invoices.

Buying or selling: the $375 cap

HOAs (chapter 207)

  • Deadline. The resale certificate package is due by the 10th business day after a written request (207.003(a)).
  • Fee. No more than $375 for the certificate package and $75 for an update, since 1 September 2021 (207.003(c)). If the certificate isn't provided on time, the HOA "may not charge a fee" (207.003(c-1)).
  • Updates. Due within 7 business days, if the original requester asks within 180 days of issue (207.003(f), (g)).
  • What it must say. Sixteen things, including what's owed on the property, the reserves, the budget, pending lawsuits by style and cause number, known violations on the home, and every transfer-related fee with who gets it (207.003(b)).
  • If the HOA misses the deadline. After a second request, if nothing arrives by the 5th business day, the owner may go to court for an order and a judgment of up to $5,000, or give the buyer an affidavit of the two requests (207.004).
  • It binds the HOA. The HOA can't deny what the certificate says, and its lien for amounts left off ends (207.005(a)).
The $375 cap is on the certificate, not on everything the HOA charges at closing. No statutory cap on transfer fees, capital contributions or move-in fees was found. Every transfer-related fee must be listed on the certificate (207.003(b)).

Condos (chapter 82)

The association must furnish the resale certificate "not later than the 10th day" after the owner's written request. That is calendar days, not business days (82.157). The fee has been capped at $375 since 1 September 2025 (82.157(f)); before then, condos had no statutory cap. There is no update fee or update procedure in 82.157.

A condo buyer who didn't get the declaration, bylaws and rules before signing can cancel without penalty, with all payments refunded (82.156).

Check this one. Section 82.156 describes the condo cancellation window in two slightly different ways, so treat it as a short window of about five days from getting the documents. Ask your buyer's agent or a Texas real estate attorney for the exact deadline in your case.

The seller's HOA notice

A seller of a home in a mandatory HOA must give the buyer the statutory notice before the contract binds the buyer. If they don't, the buyer may end the contract within 7 days after getting the notice or before closing, whichever comes first (5.012(d)). This doesn't apply to condos (5.012(c)). The buyer pays the resale certificate fee unless the contract says otherwise (5.012(g)).

Letters for this: requesting an HOA or condo certificate, an update, a second request, a refund for a late certificate, ending or cancelling the contract, and querying a fee that isn't on the certificate.

The management certificate

Every Texas HOA must record a management certificate in each county where it lies. It lists the manager's contact details, the website where the association's documents are posted, and its transfer-related fees (209.004(a)). When something on it changes, the association has 30 days to record an amended certificate (209.004(b)), then 7 days to file it electronically with TREC (209.004(b-1)).

While the certificate isn't recorded or filed, an owner isn't liable for attorney's fees to collect a delinquent assessment, or for interest on it, for that period (209.004(e)). Since 1 September 2025 the same rule covers condos (82.116(d)). Condos that recorded a certificate before that date had to file it with TREC by 1 March 2026.

Anyone can check. Search for your association's certificate at hoa.texas.gov. If you're behind on dues and a collection letter is adding fees and interest, compare the dates on the certificate with the dates on the charges.

For board members

  • Open meetings. Regular and special board meetings must be open to owners (209.0051(c)). Notice is mailed 10 to 60 days before, or posted at least 144 hours before a regular meeting or 72 hours before a special one, and emailed to owners who have registered an email address (209.0051(e)).
  • Fifteen decisions need an open meeting. They include fines, raising assessments, special assessments, borrowing, filling a board vacancy and approving the annual budget (209.0051(h)).
  • Owners who owe money still vote. A rule that would disqualify an owner from voting in a board election "is void" (209.0059(a)).
  • Counting the votes. A candidate, or a relative to the third degree, may not count or see the ballots (209.00594(a)). Any owner may demand a recount by the 15th day after the meeting, paying in advance (209.0057).
  • Records. An owner requests by certified mail. The HOA responds within 10 business days, or says when the records will be ready, within 15 business days of that notice (209.005). Condos follow the same pattern (82.114, 82.1141), and must get an annual independent audit of their records (82.114(c)).
  • Contracts with a director. Allowed only with at least two other bids where reasonably available, the director out of the discussion and vote, and a disinterested majority approving (209.0052(b)).
  • Architectural committees. Since 1 September 2025, a board member, their spouse or anyone living in their household can't sit on the committee (209.00506).
What Texas law doesn't require. We found no Texas statute requiring director training or certification, mailing the annual budget to every owner, or a reserve study, for HOAs or condos. The resale certificate must still disclose the reserves and the budget (207.003(b)). Check with your association's attorney.

Letters for this: records requests, checking the management certificate, a decision taken without an open meeting, a ballot for an owner behind on dues, an annual meeting, a recount, and two letters for directors.

Behind on dues, liens and foreclosure

HOAs (chapter 209): the steps that come first

  • Payment plan. HOAs with more than 14 lots must have payment plan guidelines, for a plan of at least 3 months with no additional monetary penalties (209.0062). The HOA doesn't have to offer one in some cases, such as more than once in any 12 months.
  • Payment order. Payments go to delinquent assessments, then current assessments, then collection fees, then other attorney's fees, then fines (209.0063(a)).
  • 45 days before collection agency fees. You aren't liable for a collection agent's fees unless the HOA first sent a certified-mail notice giving you at least 45 days to cure (209.0064).
  • Credit reporting. No reporting of an amount that is in a pending dispute, and no fee for reporting (209.0065).
  • Two notices and 90 days before a lien. A first notice, then a second by certified mail at least 30 days later. The lien can't be filed until the 90th day after the second notice (209.0094, from 1 September 2023).
  • No foreclosure over fines alone, or over fine-related attorney's fees, or records or recount costs (209.009).
  • A court order first. An HOA "may not foreclose" its assessment lien unless it first gets a court order, or sues for a judgment ordering a sale (209.0092).

HOAs: 180 days to buy it back

After an HOA foreclosure sale, the owner may redeem the home "not later than the 180th day after the date the association mails written notice of the sale" (209.011(b)). The HOA must send that notice within 30 days after the sale (209.010).

Our reading, not a rule. Because the clock starts when the HOA mails its notice, the window can end up to about 210 days after the sale. Check your own dates with a Texas-licensed attorney.

Condos: 90 days, from the sale

A condo association can foreclose through the courts or without them, but "may not foreclose a lien for assessments consisting solely of fines" (82.113(d), (e)). A condo owner may redeem "not later than the 90th day after the date of the foreclosure sale" (82.113(g)). An owner can stop a nonjudicial sale before it happens by paying all amounts due (82.113(j)).

Homestead doesn't stop an HOA assessment lien. Texas homestead protection does not stop foreclosure of an HOA assessment lien created by covenants recorded before the home became a homestead (Inwood North Homeowners' Ass'n v. Harris, Texas Supreme Court, 1987).

Letters for this: the ledger and how payments were applied, a payment plan, collection agent fees, a dispute before credit reporting, fees while the certificate was missing, lien notices, a redemption request, and a condo payoff figure.

HOA or condo at a glance

A quick checklist of the rules that differ most.

RuleHOA (ch. 209 and 207)Condo (ch. 82)
Ask for a hearingBy the 30th day after the notice was mailed (209.006)By the 30th day after the date of the notice (82.102(d))
Repeat violation, no new cure periodWithin 6 months (209.006(d))Within 12 months (82.102(d))
Resale certificate due10th business day (207.003)10th day (82.157)
Resale certificate fee cap$375, update $75, since 1 Sept 2021$375, no update fee, since 1 Sept 2025
Management certificate and TREC30 days to record, 7 days to file (209.004)Same, since 1 Sept 2025 (82.116)
Website (60 or more lots or units, or a manager)207.00682.1142, since 1 Sept 2025
ForeclosureCourt order required (209.0092)Through the courts or without them (82.113)
No foreclosure overFines only, fine-related fees, records or recount costs (209.009)Fines only (82.113(e))
Redemption180 days after the HOA mails notice of the sale (209.011)90 days after the sale (82.113(g))

Who to ask

  • Your association's manager or board, in writing, at the address on the management certificate.
  • hoa.texas.gov (TREC), to look up a management certificate. TREC says it "does not have regulatory authority over HOAs", so it isn't the place to complain about one.
  • The county clerk where the home is: recorded declarations, rules, management certificates, liens and payment plan guidelines.
  • The justice court for your precinct: chapter 209 violations (209.017) and records petitions (209.005(n)).
  • A Texas-licensed attorney. The State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral & Information Service is on (800) 252-9690. Residents of Bexar, Dallas, Harris, Jefferson, Travis and Tarrant counties are pointed to their local referral services.
  • The Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection division takes consumer complaints, and the Texas Workforce Commission takes housing discrimination complaints.

What changes next

The law on this page is current to the changes that took effect on 1 September 2025. The next regular session of the Texas Legislature starts on 12 January 2027 (Government Code 301.001). Texas HOA law tends to change in big bills every few sessions, and most changes take effect on 1 September of the session year.

One bill to watch: SB 2586 (2025) would have made HOAs file their governing documents and enforcement policies with TREC. It passed the Senate 31 to 0 and was never voted on in House committee, so it is not law. It may come back in 2027. This page will be updated when the law changes.

General information only, not legal advice. Current to October 2026. The official text of the Texas Property Code is on the Legislature's statutes site; the chapters are linked below. Check it, and ask your association's attorney or a Texas-licensed attorney about your own situation.
Free, ready to copy

Letters you can send

The letters from The Texas HOA & Condo Handbook. Fill in the square brackets, keep a copy, and send them in a way that gives you proof of delivery.

From The Thirtieth Day.

1. Request for a hearing (HOA)

[Date]

The Board of [Association name], c/o [manager], [address on the management certificate]

Re: Request for hearing, [property address]

I own [property address]. I received the association's notice dated [date], mailed on [mailing date], about [describe the alleged violation].

Under Texas Property Code section 209.007, I request a hearing before the board. [I dispute that there is a violation. / I have cured the violation. / I wish to discuss the cure period and any fine.]

Please send me notice of the date, time and place at least 10 days before the hearing, and the packet of documents, photos and communications the association intends to use, as section 209.007(f) requires.

Please also tell me who will hear the matter and whether I may bring [a family member / my attorney]. I may make an audio recording under section 209.007(c).

[Name, mailing address, telephone, email]

2. Evidence packet not received in time

[Date]

The Board of [Association name], c/o [manager]

Re: Hearing set for [date], [property address]

My hearing under Texas Property Code section 209.007 is set for [date]. Section 209.007(f) requires the association to give me, at least 10 days before the hearing, the documents, photos and communications it intends to use.

[I have not received that packet. / I received it on [date], fewer than 10 days before the hearing.] Under section 209.007(g), I am entitled to an automatic 15-day postponement.

Please confirm in writing the new hearing date, and send the complete packet.

[Name, mailing address, telephone, email]

3. Violation cured before the cure date

[Date]

The Board of [Association name], c/o [manager]

Re: Notice dated [date], [property address]

The association's notice dated [date] gave a cure date of [cure date] for [describe the violation]. I cured the violation on [date], before the cure date. Dated photos are enclosed.

Under Texas Property Code section 209.006(e), if a violation is cured before the cure date, a fine may not be assessed for it.

Please confirm in writing that the matter is closed and that no fine will be assessed. If the association does not accept that the violation is cured, please tell me why, and treat this letter as a request for a hearing under section 209.007.

[Name, mailing address, telephone, email]

4. Enforcement policy, fine schedule and minutes

[Date]

The Board of [Association name], c/o [manager]

Re: Fine of $[amount], [property address]

Please send me:

(1) the association's enforcement policy and schedule of fines under Texas Property Code section 209.0061, in the version in force on [date of violation], with the date it was adopted and the date it was last posted or sent to owners;

(2) the minutes of the open board meeting at which the fine on my account was levied, as section 209.0051(d) and (h) provide; and

(3) the category and line of the schedule the fine was charged under.

[Name, mailing address, telephone, email]

5. Attorney's fee invoices and payment application

[Date]

The Board of [Association name], c/o [manager]

Re: Account for [property address]

My account shows attorney's fees of $[amount]. Under Texas Property Code section 209.008(d), please send me copies of the invoices for those fees.

Section 209.008(b) says an owner is not liable for fees incurred before the hearing ends or, if no hearing is requested, before the deadline to request one. My [hearing was held on / deadline was] [date]. Please remove any fees incurred before then.

Please also send a statement showing how each payment since [date] was applied, in the order required by section 209.0063(a).

[Name, mailing address, telephone, email]

6. Records request (send by certified mail)

[Date]

[Association name], [address on the management certificate]

Re: Request for records under Texas Property Code section 209.005

I own [property address]. Under section 209.005, I request to [inspect / receive copies of] the following records:

[List them, for example: inspection notes and photos for my lot since [date]; architectural applications and approvals for my lot; the recorded rule cited in the notice dated [date].]

Please respond within 10 business days as section 209.005 requires, or tell me in writing when the records will be available. If the association charges for records, please tell me where its records production and copying policy is recorded.

[Name, mailing address, telephone, email]

7. Architectural denial appeal (HOA over 40 lots)

[Date]

The Board of [Association name], c/o [manager]

Re: Architectural denial dated [date], [property address]

The architectural committee denied my application for [describe project] by notice mailed on [date]. Under Texas Property Code section 209.00505, I request a hearing before the board.

[The denial does not state its reasons in reasonable detail. / I would like to discuss changes to the plans.]

Please send me notice of the hearing at least 10 days before it. I ask the board to [reverse / modify] the decision, which it may do under section 209.00505.

[Name, mailing address, telephone, email]

8. Request for a hearing (condo)

[Date]

The Board of [Condominium association name], c/o [manager]

Re: Notice of proposed fine dated [date], [unit]

I own [unit]. I received the association's notice dated [date], proposing a fine of $[amount] for [describe the alleged violation].

Under Texas Property Code section 82.102(d), I request a hearing before the board. [I dispute that there is a violation. / I have cured the violation, as the enclosed dated photos show.]

Please tell me the date, time and place, and confirm that no fine will be levied before the hearing.

[Name, unit, mailing address, telephone, email]

From The $375 Cap.

1. Request for an HOA resale certificate

[Date]

[Association name], c/o [managing agent], [address from the management certificate]

Re: Resale certificate, [property address]

I am the owner of [property address] [or: I act for the owner / I am the title company acting for the owner or purchaser]. Under Texas Property Code 207.003(a), I request the resale certificate package for this property: the current restrictions, bylaws and rules, and a resale certificate prepared no earlier than 60 days before delivery.

Under 207.003(a) the package is due by the 10th business day after this request. Under 207.003(c) the fee may not exceed $375. Please confirm the fee and how you would like it paid.

Please send the package to [name, email and mailing address].

[Name, role, telephone, email]

2. Request for an update

[Date]

[Association name], c/o [managing agent]

Re: Update to resale certificate, [property address]

On [date] you issued a resale certificate for [property address] at my request. The closing has moved to [new date].

Under Texas Property Code 207.003(f) and (g), I request an update to that certificate. This request is made by the original requester and within 180 days of the date the certificate was issued. Under 207.003(c) the fee may not exceed $75, and under 207.003(f) the update is due within 7 business days of this request.

Please send it to [name, email and mailing address].

[Name, role, telephone, email]

3. Second request after a missed deadline

[Date]

By certified mail, return receipt requested [or: by hand delivery, receipt requested]

[Association name], c/o [managing agent], [address from the management certificate]

Re: Second request for resale certificate, [property address], Texas Property Code 207.004

On [date of first request] I requested in writing the resale certificate package for [property address] under 207.003(a). A copy of that request is enclosed. The package was due by [10th business day] and has not been delivered.

This is my second request. If the package is not delivered by the 5th business day after you receive this letter, I may exercise the remedies in Texas Property Code 207.004.

Under 207.003(c-1), no fee may be charged for a certificate that is not provided on time.

[Name, role, telephone, email]

4. Refund of the fee for a late certificate

[Date]

[Association name], c/o [managing agent]

Re: Resale certificate fee, [property address], Texas Property Code 207.003(c-1)

On [date] [I / the title company] requested in writing the resale certificate package for [property address] and paid [amount]. The 10th business day after that request was [date]. The certificate was delivered on [date].

Texas Property Code 207.003(c-1) provides that an association may not charge a fee if the certificate is not provided by the deadline. Please refund [amount] to [name] at [address or account details] within [14] days, or explain in writing why you believe the fee is due.

[Name, role, telephone, email]

5. Request for a condo resale certificate

[Date]

[Condominium association name], c/o [manager]

Re: Resale certificate, Unit [number], [building address]

I am the owner of Unit [number]. I have contracted to sell it. Under Texas Property Code 82.157, I request a resale certificate for the unit, together with copies of the declaration, bylaws and rules if you supply them.

Under 82.157 the certificate is due not later than the 10th day after this request, and must be prepared not earlier than three months before delivery. Under 82.157(f), effective 1 September 2025, the fee may not exceed $375.

Please send it to [name, email and mailing address], and confirm the fee.

[Name, unit, telephone, email]

6. Buyer's termination: no HOA notice

[Date]

To: [Seller's name], c/o [seller's agent], with a copy to [title company]

Re: Contract dated [date] for [property address]

The property is subject to mandatory membership in a property owners' association. I did not receive the notice required by Texas Property Code 5.012 before the contract became binding on me. I received it on [date].

Under 5.012(d), I terminate the contract. This notice is given within 7 days after I received the notice, and before closing.

[Add any request about the earnest money that your agent or attorney advises under the contract.]

[Buyer's name, telephone, email]

7. Condo buyer's cancellation

[Date]

To: [Seller's name], c/o [seller's agent], with a copy to [title company]

Re: Contract dated [date] for Unit [number], [building]

[I did not receive a copy of the declaration, bylaws and rules before signing the contract. I received them on [date].] [or: I have not received a resale certificate for the unit.]

Under Texas Property Code 82.156, I cancel the contract. Under 82.156(c), cancellation is without penalty and all payments I have made must be refunded.

Please arrange the refund through [title company].

[Buyer's name, telephone, email]

8. A fee or item not on the certificate

[Date]

[Association name], c/o [managing agent]

Re: Resale certificate dated [date], [property address]

The estimated closing statement for [property address] shows a charge of [amount] described as [description], payable to [payee]. It does not appear on the resale certificate.

Texas Property Code 207.003(b) requires the certificate to state every transfer-related fee, with its payee and amount. Under 207.005(a), the association may not deny the validity of any statement in the certificate.

Please tell me in writing what the charge is for, which document authorizes it, and why it is not on the certificate. [Please also confirm the court for the lawsuit listed as [style, cause number].]

[Name, role, telephone, email]

From File the Certificate.

1. Request for association records

[Date]. By certified mail.

[Association name], c/o [name and address shown on the current management certificate]

Re: Records request, Texas Property Code section 209.005

I own [address, lot number]. Under section 209.005, I request [copies of / the opportunity to inspect before copying] the following association records: [for example, the bank statements for [year] and [year], the current budget and balance sheet, the management contract, and the minutes of board meetings since [date]].

Section 209.005(f) requires the association to respond within 10 business days, or within that time to tell me in writing the date, no later than 15 business days after that notice, by which the records will be available.

If the association will charge for production, please send a copy of its recorded records production and copying policy with any charges.

[Name, address, telephone, email]

2. Is the management certificate recorded and filed?

[Date]

The Board of [Association name]

Re: Management certificate, Texas Property Code section [209.004 / 82.116]

I own [address]. Section [209.004 / 82.116] requires the association to record a management certificate in each county where the [subdivision / condominium] lies, record an amended certificate within 30 days after a change, and file it with the Texas Real Estate Commission within 7 days after filing it for recording.

Please tell me in writing: (1) the recording date and county document number of the current certificate; (2) the date it was filed with the Texas Real Estate Commission; and (3) whether the manager, website, contact details or transfer-related fees have changed since then, and if so, when.

[I have received a collection letter dated [date] and ask for this information before responding to it.]

[Name, address, telephone, email]

3. A decision taken without an open meeting

[Date]

The Board of [Association name]

Re: Texas Property Code section 209.0051(h)

I own [address]. I understand the board [levied a fine on / approved / adopted] [description] on or about [date]. Section 209.0051(h) requires that decision to be made at an open board meeting with notice to owners.

Under section 209.0051(d), please send me: (1) the minutes of the meeting at which the decision was made; and (2) a copy of the notice of that meeting, showing the date it was posted, emailed or mailed.

If the decision was made by email or written consent, please tell me whether the board will place it on the agenda of a properly noticed open meeting.

[Name, address, telephone, email]

4. A ballot for an owner who is behind on dues

[Date]

The Board of [Association name], c/o [manager]

Re: Voting rights, Texas Property Code section 209.0059

I own [address]. I have been told I may not vote in the [election / vote] on [date] because my account is behind.

Section 209.0059(a) provides that a provision in a dedicatory instrument that would disqualify an owner from voting in a board election, or on matters affecting the owner, is void.

Please confirm in writing that I am on the voter list, and send me the ballot package for the [election / vote], including the absentee ballot, proxy or electronic voting instructions the association provides under section 209.00592.

[Name, address, telephone, email]

5. Demand for an annual meeting

[Date]. By certified mail.

The Board of [Association name], c/o [name and address shown on the current management certificate]

Re: Demand for annual meeting, Texas Property Code section 209.014

I own [address]. The association has not held an annual meeting of owners since [date / year].

Under section 209.014, I demand that the board call an annual meeting of the owners. If the board does not call the meeting within 30 days of this demand, three or more owners may form an election committee under that section.

Please tell me in writing the date the board sets for the meeting, and the date by which candidates may put their names forward.

[Name, address, telephone, email]

6. Demand for a recount

[Date]

The Board of [Association name], c/o [manager]

Re: Recount demand, Texas Property Code section 209.0057

I own [address]. The result of the [election / vote] held on [date] was announced on [date]. Under section 209.0057, I demand a recount.

Please tell me the cost, which I will pay in advance as the section requires, and the name of the independent, qualified person who will conduct the recount. Please keep all ballots, envelopes, proxies and electronic voting records safe until the recount is complete.

I understand that if the recount changes the result, the association must repay the cost.

[Name, address, telephone, email]

7. A director's motion to bring the certificate up to date

[Date]

To: Fellow directors of [Association name]

Re: Amended management certificate, Texas Property Code section [209.004 / 82.116]

Our management certificate, recorded on [date], lists [the former manager / an old website / outdated fees]. The change took place on [date]. The statute requires an amended certificate to be recorded within 30 days after the association has notice of a change, and filed with the Texas Real Estate Commission within 7 days after recording. While it is not recorded or filed, owners are not liable for collection attorney's fees or interest for that period.

I move that the board: (1) direct [the manager / the secretary] to prepare an amended certificate by [date]; (2) authorize [officer] to sign it; (3) have it recorded in [county] and filed at hoa.texas.gov the same week; and (4) pause referring any account to the collection attorney until both are confirmed.

[Name], [Board position]

8. A director's disclosure of interest in a contract

[Date]

To: Fellow directors of [Association name]

Re: Disclosure under Texas Property Code section 209.0052

[Company name], which is owned by [me / my [relationship]], intends to bid for the association's [description] contract.

Section 209.0052(b) allows the association to contract with a director, a relative to the third degree, or a company in which either holds 51% of the profits, only if at least two other bids from unrelated people are received where reasonably available; the director does not see the other bids, take part in discussion or vote; the facts are disclosed and a disinterested majority approves; and the board adopts a resolution certifying compliance.

I disclose the relationship. Please send bids to the other directors only. I will leave the discussion and will not vote.

[Name], [Board position]

From 180 Days Back.

1. Request for the ledger and how each payment was applied

[Date]

Board of Directors, [association name], [address on the management certificate]

Re: [lot number and address], account [number]

I ask for a copy of my account ledger from [date] to today, showing every charge and every payment, the date each was posted, and the type of each charge (assessment, late charge, interest, collection cost, attorney's fees, fine or other). I make this request under Property Code 209.005, and ask for copies.

Please also show how each of my payments was applied. Section 209.0063 requires payments to be applied to delinquent assessments, then current assessments, then collection fees on assessments, then other attorney's fees, then fines, then other amounts.

If any payment was applied in another order, please tell me why.

[Name, address, telephone, email]

2. Request for a payment plan

[Date]

Board of Directors, [association name]

Re: [lot number and address], account [number]

I ask to enter an alternative payment schedule under Property Code 209.0062 and the association's payment plan guidelines. Please send me a copy of the guidelines if they have been adopted.

I propose to pay my regular assessment of $[amount] when due, plus $[amount] a month toward the arrears of $[amount], for [number] months, starting [date].

I understand the plan must run for at least 3 months and that no additional monetary penalties may be charged while it is in place. Please confirm the terms, including any administration costs and interest, in writing.

[Name, address, telephone, email]

3. Collection agent fees charged without the 45-day letter

[Date]

Board of Directors, [association name]

Re: [lot number and address], account [number]

My account shows $[amount] in fees described as [description] for a collection agent.

Under Property Code 209.0064, an owner is not liable for a collection agent's fees unless the association first sent, by certified mail, a notice stating each delinquent amount and the total to bring the account current, the options to avoid collections including any payment plan, and at least 45 days to cure.

Please send me a copy of that notice, the date it was mailed and the certified mail number. If no such notice was sent, please remove these fees and confirm the correction in writing.

[Name, address, telephone, email]

4. Dispute of an amount before credit reporting

[Date]

Board of Directors, [association name]

Re: [lot number and address], account [number]

I dispute $[amount] of the balance on my account, being [description of the charge], for this reason: [one or two sentences].

Under Property Code 209.0065, the association may not report an amount that is the subject of a pending dispute to a credit reporting service, may report only after offering a payment plan and sending a detailed statement at least 30 business days before reporting, and may not charge a fee for reporting.

Please confirm in writing that the disputed amount will not be reported while this dispute is pending, and respond to the dispute itself.

[Name, address, telephone, email]

5. Fees and interest while the management certificate was missing

[Date]

Board of Directors, [association name]

Re: [lot number and address], account [number]

My account shows attorney's fees of $[amount] and interest of $[amount] charged between [date] and [date].

The public records show that the association's management certificate [was not recorded / was not filed with the Texas Real Estate Commission / had not been amended] during [period]. Under Property Code [209.004(e) / 82.116(d)], an owner is not liable for attorney's fees to collect a delinquent assessment, or for interest on it, incurred or accruing while the certificate is unrecorded or unfiled.

Please remove those amounts. [HOA: Please also send me copies of the attorney's fee invoices under 209.008(d).]

[Name, address, telephone, email]

6. Has a lien been filed, and on what notices?

[Date]

Board of Directors, [association name]

Re: [lot number and address]

Please tell me in writing whether the association has filed an assessment lien against my property and, if so, the recording date and amount.

Under Property Code 209.0094, a lien may not be filed until the 90th day after a second notice sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, at least 30 days after a first notice. Please send me copies of both notices, with the dates and methods of sending.

Please also break the lien amount into assessments, interest, collection costs, attorney's fees, fines and other amounts. Under 209.009, a lien cannot be foreclosed if the debt is only fines, fine-related fees, or records or recount costs.

[Name, address, telephone, email]

7. Written redemption request after an HOA foreclosure sale

[Date]

By certified mail, return receipt requested

To: Board of Directors, [association name], and [name of buyer at the sale, if any]

Re: [property address], foreclosure sale on [date]

I was the owner of this property at the time of the foreclosure sale. I request to redeem it under Property Code 209.011.

Under 209.011(m), please each give me written notice of the amounts that must be paid to redeem, item by item, with the part of 209.011(d) or (e) that each item relies on. I understand that this request extends my right to redeem to the 10th day after that notice is given.

Please also tell me of any rents collected, which are to be credited to me under 209.011(i).

[Name, address, telephone, email]

8. Condo: request for the payoff figure

[Date]

Board of Directors, [condominium association name]

Re: Unit [number], [address], account [number]

Please send me, in writing, the total amount needed to pay all amounts due on my account as of [date], itemized into assessments, interest, late fees, fines, collection costs and attorney's fees.

Under Property Code 82.113(j), an owner may stop a nonjudicial foreclosure sale by paying all amounts due before the sale. Please also tell me whether any sale has been scheduled, and if so, the date, and how and where payment must be made.

Please also tell me whether the association's management certificate has been recorded and filed with the Texas Real Estate Commission, as 82.116 requires.

[Name, address, telephone, email]

The series

The Texas HOA & Condo Handbook

Cover of The Thirtieth Day.
Book 1 · Owners with a violation letter

The Thirtieth Day.

In Texas, your 30 days to ask for a hearing on an HOA violation letter start on the day the letter was mailed, not the day you opened it.

Cover of The $375 Cap.
Book 2 · Buyers and sellers

The $375 Cap.

Texas HOAs have capped the resale certificate fee at $375 since 2021. Condos were uncapped until 1 September 2025. And the cap covers that one document, not every charge on your closing statement.

Cover of File the Certificate.
Book 3 · Board members

File the Certificate.

No management certificate on file with the state, no collection attorney's fees or interest. That is Texas law, for HOAs and now for condos.

Coming to Amazon soon.

Cover of 180 Days Back.
Book 4 · Owners behind on dues

180 Days Back.

Behind on your Texas HOA or condo dues, or holding a lien or foreclosure letter? Start here.

Coming to Amazon soon.