Courtesy of: www.ksnlaw.com

The Condominium and Common Interest Community Ombudsperson Act became effective on January 1, 2017. Generally, the purpose of this Act is to create a State of Illinois-operated mechanism to assist in resolving certain disputes within condominium and community associations.

It is important to recognize that certain tasks must be accomplished before the January 1, 2019 deadline.

On January 1, 2019, each association is required to adopt a written policy for resolving complaints made by unit owners. The policy must include:

• A sample form upon which a unit owner may make a complaint
• A description of the process by which complaints shall be delivered to the Association
• The Association’s timeline and manner of making final determinations in response to the unit owner’s complaint as well as the form for such determinations

This is a limited summary of the new Ombudsperson Act and each condominium and common interest community association should become familiar with the full version of this new law.

KSN can prepare documentation that complies with the requirements of this Act and can assist Associations with the procedural steps necessary to adopt the required policy by January 1, 2019.

Please contact our law firm at 847-537-0500 or visit www.ksnlaw.com/contact.

About the Office of the Condominium and Common Interest Community Ombudsperson

On January 1, 2017, Adrienne Levatino was named the Illinois Condominium and Common Interest Community Ombudsperson by Kreg Allison, the Director of the Division of Real Estate for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The Ombursperson’s website: http://www.idfpr.com/CCICO/.

The website indicates that the Ombudsperson’s goals are to:

• Educate unit owners, associations and their respective boards
  
• Publish information useful to unit owners, associations and their respective boards
  
• Respond to relevant inquiries by providing educational materials and directing citizens to relevant resources
  

The website also indicates that the Ombudsperson’s does not:

• Provide legal advice or advocacy services
  
• Enforce any laws or regulations, including the regulation or registration of: Professions, Associations, Companies, People Hear, mediate or resolve: Issues between unit owners and associations, Complaints of discrimination, Complaints about Community Association Managers (“CAMs”)
  

This article is made available by the lawyer or law firm publisher for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide specific legal advice. By reading this article you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and the article author. This article should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state. © 2018 Kovitz Shifrin Nesbit, A Professional Corporation.

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