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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>86773</law_id><section_number>55.1-2146</section_number><catch_line>Assessments for common expenses</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="55.1">Property and Conveyances</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="IV">Common Interest Communities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="21">Virginia Real Estate Cooperative Act</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Management of Cooperatives</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Until the <span class="dictionary">association</span> makes a common expense assessment, the <span class="dictionary">declarant</span> shall pay all <span class="dictionary">common expenses</span>. After any assessment has been made by the <span class="dictionary">association</span>, assessments must be made at least annually, based on a budget adopted at least annually by the <span class="dictionary">association</span>. <a id="paragraph-310714" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Except for assessments under subsections C, D, E, and F, all <span class="dictionary">common expenses</span> shall be assessed against all the <span class="dictionary">cooperative interests</span> in accordance with the allocations set forth in the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span> pursuant to subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Allocation of ownership interests, votes, and common expense liabilities" href="/55.1-2118/">55.1-2118</a>.
			Any past-due common expense assessment or installment bears interest at the rate established by the <span class="dictionary">association</span> not exceeding 18 percent per year. <a id="paragraph-310715" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> To the extent required by the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span>: <a id="paragraph-310716" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Any common expense associated with the maintenance, repair, or replacement of a <span class="dictionary">limited common element</span> must be assessed equally against the <span class="dictionary">cooperative interests</span> for the <span class="dictionary">units</span> to which that <span class="dictionary">limited common element</span> is assigned, or in any other proportion that the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span> provides; <a id="paragraph-310717" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Any common expense or portion benefiting fewer than all of the <span class="dictionary">units</span> must be assessed exclusively against the <span class="dictionary">cooperative interests</span> for the <span class="dictionary">units</span> benefited; and <a id="paragraph-310718" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The costs of insurance must be assessed in proportion to risk, and the costs of utilities must be assessed in proportion to usage. <a id="paragraph-310719" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Assessments to pay a <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> against the <span class="dictionary">association</span> may be made only against the <span class="dictionary">cooperative interests</span> in the cooperative at the time the <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> was entered, in proportion to their common expense liabilities. <a id="paragraph-310720" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> If any common expense is caused by the <span class="dictionary">negligence</span> or other misconduct of any <span class="dictionary">proprietary lessee</span>, or of his family members, tenants, or other invitees, the <span class="dictionary">association</span> may assess that expense exclusively against his <span class="dictionary">cooperative interest</span>. <a id="paragraph-310721" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> Notwithstanding any other provision in this section, in any cooperative where permanent residency is, in general, restricted to individuals age 55 and over, and the primary purpose of the <span class="dictionary">association</span> is to provide services and amenities to the residents of the cooperative that are consistent with the services and amenities typically provided to residents of full service senior housing communities in the United States, the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span> may provide, or may be amended to provide by vote or agreement of <span class="dictionary">proprietary lessees</span> of <span class="dictionary">cooperative interests</span> to which at least two-thirds of the votes in the <span class="dictionary">association</span> are allocated, or any larger percentage if so specified in the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span>, that: <a id="paragraph-310722" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> <span class="dictionary">Common expenses</span> may be assessed against all <span class="dictionary">cooperative interests</span> in accordance with the standards in general use from time to time among full-service senior housing communities in the United States for the purpose of fairly and equitably establishing the fees and charges imposed on their residents to pay for all <span class="dictionary">common expenses</span> of such senior housing communities, including the expenses of providing services and amenities, such standards to be determined by the <span class="dictionary">executive board</span> of the <span class="dictionary">association</span>, acting reasonably; <a id="paragraph-310723" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#F1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> <span class="dictionary">Common expenses</span> may be assessed against any <span class="dictionary">cooperative interest</span> that has been created pursuant to the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span> but as to which construction of the <span class="dictionary">unit</span> appurtenant to such <span class="dictionary">cooperative interest</span> has not been completed, provided that nothing contained in this subdivision shall relieve the <span class="dictionary">declarant</span> of its obligations under subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Upkeep of cooperative" href="/55.1-2138/">55.1-2138</a>; and <a id="paragraph-310724" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#F2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> <span class="dictionary">Common expenses</span> may be assessed against any <span class="dictionary">cooperative interest</span> as to which the <span class="dictionary">unit</span> appurtenant to such <span class="dictionary">cooperative interest</span> has been completed until the <span class="dictionary">unit</span> is initially permanently occupied, provided, however, that all such <span class="dictionary">cooperative interests</span> shall pay all direct expenses of the <span class="dictionary">association</span> related to such <span class="dictionary">cooperative interests</span> and any <span class="dictionary">common expenses</span> that directly benefit such <span class="dictionary">cooperative interest</span>, in each case, determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span> or the <span class="dictionary">association</span>&#x2019;s bylaws, provided, however, that if neither the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span> nor the bylaws contain such provisions, then such expenses shall be paid in accordance with the allocations set forth in the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span> pursuant to subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Allocation of ownership interests, votes, and common expense liabilities" href="/55.1-2118/">55.1-2118</a>. <a id="paragraph-310725" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#F3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G"><p><span class="prefix-number">G.</span> If common expense liabilities are reallocated, common expense assessments and any installment not yet due shall be recalculated in accordance with the reallocated common expense liabilities. <a id="paragraph-310726" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2146/#G"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1982, c. 277, &#xA7; 55-471; 2008, c. 627; 2019, c. 712.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
