A. The declarant, every unit owner, and all those entitled to occupy a unit shall comply with all lawful provisions of this chapter and all provisions of the condominium instruments. Any lack of such compliance shall be grounds for an action to recover sums due, for damages or injunctive relief, or for any other remedy available at law or in equity, maintainable by the unit owners' association or by its executive board or any managing agent on behalf of such association or, in any proper case, by one or more aggrieved unit owners on their own behalf or as a class action. A unit owners' association shall have standing to sue in its own name for any claims or actions related to the common elements as provided in subsection B of § 55.1-1956. Except as provided in subsection B, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney fees, costs expended in the matter, and interest on the judgment as provided in § 8.01-382. This section does not preclude an action against the unit owners' association and authorizes the recovery, by the prevailing party in any such action, of reasonable attorney fees, costs expended in the matter, and interest on the judgment as provided in § 8.01-382 in such actions.
B. In actions against a unit owner for nonpayment of assessments in which the unit owner has failed to pay assessments levied by the unit owners' association on more than one unit or such unit owner has had legal actions taken against him for nonpayment of any prior assessment and the prevailing party is the association or its executive board or any managing agent on behalf of the association, the prevailing party shall be awarded reasonable attorney fees, costs expended in the matter, and interest on the judgment as provided in subsection A, even if the proceeding is settled prior to judgment. The delinquent unit owner shall be personally responsible for reasonable attorney fees and costs expended in the matter by the unit owners' association, whether any judicial proceedings are filed.
C. The condominium instruments may provide for arbitration of disputes or other means of alternative dispute resolution. Any such arbitration held in accordance with this subsection shall be consistent with the provisions of this chapter and Chapter 21 (§ 8.01-577 et seq.) of Title 8.01. The place of any such arbitration or alternative dispute resolution shall be in the county or city in which the condominium is located or as mutually agreed by the parties.
1974, c. 416, § 55-79.53; 1975, c. 415; 1993, c. 667; 1996, c. 977; 2012, c. 758; 2014, c. 569; 2019, c. 712.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 55.1 - Property and Conveyances
Chapter 19 - Virginia Condominium Act
§ 55.1-1901. Application and construction of chapter
§ 55.1-1902. Variation by agreement
§ 55.1-1903. Separate assessments, titles, and taxation
§ 55.1-1904. Association charges
§ 55.1-1907. How condominium may be created
§ 55.1-1909. Description of condominium units
§ 55.1-1910. Execution of condominium instruments
§ 55.1-1911. Recordation of condominium instruments
§ 55.1-1912. Construction of condominium instruments
§ 55.1-1913. Complementarity of condominium instruments; controlling construction
§ 55.1-1914. Validity of condominium instruments; discrimination prohibited
§ 55.1-1915. Compliance with condominium instruments
§ 55.1-1916. Contents of declaration
§ 55.1-1917. Allocation of interests in the common elements
§ 55.1-1918. Reallocation of interests in common elements
§ 55.1-1919. Assignments of limited common elements; conversion to common element
§ 55.1-1920. Contents of plats and plans
§ 55.1-1921. Bond to insure completion of improvements
§ 55.1-1922. Preliminary recordation of plats and plans
§ 55.1-1923. Easement for encroachments
§ 55.1-1924. Conversion of convertible lands
§ 55.1-1925. Conversion of convertible spaces
§ 55.1-1926. Expansion of condominium
§ 55.1-1927. Contraction of condominium
§ 55.1-1928. Easement to facilitate conversion and expansion
§ 55.1-1929. Easement to facilitate sales
§ 55.1-1930. Declarant's obligation to complete and restore
§ 55.1-1931. Alterations within units
§ 55.1-1932. Relocation of boundaries between units
§ 55.1-1933. Subdivision of units
§ 55.1-1934. Amendment of condominium instruments
§ 55.1-1935. Use of technology
§ 55.1-1936. Merger or consolidation of condominiums; procedure
§ 55.1-1937. Termination of condominium
§ 55.1-1938. Rights of mortgagees
§ 55.1-1939. Statement of unit owner rights
§ 55.1-1941. Amendment to condominium instruments; consent of mortgagee
§ 55.1-1942. Reformation of declaration; judicial procedure
§ 55.1-1943. Control of condominium by declarant
§ 55.1-1945. Books, minutes, and records; inspection
§ 55.1-1946. Management office
§ 55.1-1947. Transfer of special declarant rights
§ 55.1-1948. Declarants not succeeding to special declarant rights
§ 55.1-1949. Meetings of unit owners' association and executive board
§ 55.1-1950. Distribution of information by members
§ 55.1-1951.1. Installation of solar energy collection devices
§ 55.1-1952. Meetings of unit owners' association and executive board; quorums
§ 55.1-1956. Control of common elements
§ 55.1-1957. Common elements; notice of pesticide application
§ 55.1-1958. Tort and contract liability; judgment lien
§ 55.1-1960. Limitation of occupancy of a unit
§ 55.1-1960.1. Limitation of smoking in condominium
§ 55.1-1961. Use of for sale sign in connection with resale
§ 55.1-1962. Designation of authorized representative
§ 55.1-1962.1. Electric vehicle charging stations permitted
§ 55.1-1964. Liability for common expenses; late fees
§ 55.1-1965. Annual budget; reserves for capital components
§ 55.1-1966. Lien for assessments
§ 55.1-1967. Notice of sale under deed of trust
§ 55.1-1968. Bond to be posted by declarant
§ 55.1-1969. Restraints on alienation
§ 55.1-1970. Common Interest Community Board
§ 55.1-1971. General powers and duties of the Common Interest Community Board
§ 55.1-1972. Exemptions from certain provisions of article
§ 55.1-1974. Limitations on dispositions of units
§ 55.1-1975. Application for registration; fee
§ 55.1-1976. Public offering statement; condominium securities
§ 55.1-1977. Inquiry and examination
§ 55.1-1978. Notice of filing and registration
§ 55.1-1979. Annual report by declarant
§ 55.1-1980. Annual report by unit owners' association
§ 55.1-1981. Termination of registration
§ 55.1-1982. Conversion condominiums; special provisions
§ 55.1-1983. Escrow of deposits
§ 55.1-1984. Declarant to deliver declaration to purchaser
§ 55.1-1985. Investigations and proceedings
§ 55.1-1986. Cease and desist orders
§ 55.1-1987. Revocation of registration
§ 55.1-1990. Resale by purchaser; contract disclosure; right of cancellation
§ 55.1-1991. Contents of resale certificate; delivery
§ 55.1-1992. Fees for resale certificate
§ 55.1-1993. Properties subject to more than one declaration