RULES & RESOURCES

DENT PLACE CONDO BYLAWS

BECS REPORT 2020

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is the managing agent for Dent Place?

The managing agent is Community Systems, Inc. The property manager is Larry Rowse and can be reached at 202.244.8000. You can e-mail him at larry@communitysystemsinc.com or mail a letter to 4102 Brandywine Street, NW, Washington, DC 20016. Larry Rowse is your first point of contact for any questions or concerns you may have regarding the condo association.

Who should I call in case of emergencies?

The Managing Agent has an after-hours emergency number listed on their voicemail. It is appropriate to call the emergency line in cases of fire, flood, or other severe damage, or in order to get a message to another Unit owner in an emergency (such as when a window is left open on a rainy day.) Account issues, questions about rules, and ordering a resale package or condo questionnaire are not considered emergencies. Please do not call the emergency line in the event of a gas leak, fire, or other life-threatening emergency until you have first called the proper authorities.

I am selling my unit. Do I need to notify the Association?

Before selling your unit, you will need to purchase a resale package. Please contact the managing agent for each Association in order to accomplish this. The resale package costs $150.00, plus $5.00 shipping and handling if you want it mailed to you, payable in advance to Community Systems, Inc. It takes 5-7 business days for the resale package to be completed.

It may be necessary for you or your buyer to have a condo questionnaire completed. The cost for these is $50.00 for the first page and $10.00 for each additional page, payable in advance to Community Systems, Inc. It takes approximately 2 business days for a condo questionnaire to be completed. The Association’s Rules require that you provide a copy of the settlement paperwork and contact information for the buyer to the managing agent within 15 days of closing. Until Dent Place receives a copy of the settlement sheet, the condominium assessments and any other charges will continue to accrue in the name of the owner of record (you) and fines will be levied against you as provided for in the Rules until this information has been provided. The new Unit owner will be responsible for paying a $250.00 move-in fee and $50.00 set-up fee within 30 days of closing. When the paperwork is received, the account will be changed into the name of the new owner, and a welcome letter and payment coupons will be sent. The new owner will then be required to submit his Owner Information sheet with all applicable contact information.

When is my condo fee due?

Your assessment is due on the first of each month. You may pay in person, by mail, or via the automatic debit program. Application forms for this program can be requested from the managing agent. Payments should be delivered to the office of Community Systems, Inc., at 4102 Brandywine Street, NW, Washington, DC 20016, and should be made payable to Dent Place Condominium Association. Dent sends out payment coupons at the beginning of each year, but payment is due whether or not you have received your coupons. A late fee of $50.00 is applied at close of business on the 15th of each month to any account which remains unpaid. Accounts which remain unpaid after 30 days are subject to collection by the Association’s attorney, and additional fees will apply. If you are unable to pay your assessment on time and in full, please contact the managing agent to make payment arrangements. This will not stop late charges from accruing, but may prevent further collection action.

Can I pay my condo fee with a credit card?

No; currently Dent Place does not accept credit cards.

Can I make my payment online?

If your bank has an online bill-paying service, you may certainly use that, but Dent Place does not have an online payment system. CSI does offer automatic debit from your checking account every month; contact the managing agent for more information on this program.

I have a good excuse for not making my payment on time. How do I get the late fee removed?

Any request for a fee waiver should be submitted in a formal letter to the Board of Directors, in care of the managing agent. The letter should include your name, Dent Place unit number, mailing address if different, and telephone number. It should be dated and signed, and specify what you are requesting and the reason for the request (ie: I am requesting a fee waiver in the amount of $25.00 because I was in a car accident and was hospitalized, and have never been late before this.) The Board of Directors is under no obligation to grant any request, but will carefully consider and respond to each request received at its earliest convenience.

My neighbor plays loud music every night. What can I do?

First trying having a friendly conversation with your neighbor; perhaps they do not realize that their music is loud enough to disturb others. If they refuses to turn the music down, or if the problem continues after several requests, write a letter to the Board of Directors in care of the managing agent, as described in the late fee question above. Under the bylaws, neither management nor the Board can act unless a written complaint is received. A copy of your letter will not be forwarded to the violator, and you will not be identified, although should the problem continue, a hearing may be held at which you may be requested to present evidence. It is also recommended that you begin to keep a log of details about the noise, in case a hearing does become necessary. (Ex: Dec. 12, 2007 10:35PM-11:45PM Loud music from stereo. Knocked on wall—noise stopped; Dec. 15, 2007 4:15AM-6:00AM Loud TV and laughter. Knocked on wall—noise did not stop. Called their home—no answer.) Management will write a letter to the violator, informing them of the infraction and demanding that they cease and desist. Should the noise continue, a second letter of complaint from you may lead to a hearing for the violator, at the conclusion of which fines and other sanctions may be levied against the offender.

The person in the unit across the hall won’t leave me alone. They follow me around the building, approaches me at the mailboxes, confront me at my car, asking personal questions and sharing inappropriate personal details of their own. What is the Association going to do about the resident?

You should tell them, clearly and plainly, that you want them to leave you alone. If they persist, you should call the police. Once you have done these things, if they still persists, send a detailed written complaint to the Managing Agent. Keep a log of every interaction, as per the noise complaint above. The Association has a Harassment Policy which may apply to your situation; violators may be fined $250 per incident.

A planter is missing from my balcony. Is the Association going to replace it?

No. The Association is not responsible for the protection of your personal items. This applies whether the items are on your balcony or patio, in your storage bin, in a newly-delivered package at the mailboxes, etc. This also applies whether the items are missing or damaged. You should carry insurance to cover your personal items. You should file a police report immediately upon noticing that your personal items have been stolen or vandalized. If your mail has been stolen or otherwise tampered with, you can file a complaint here: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/contactUs/filecomplaint.aspx. Please notify the Managing Agent as well, so that the Board can be kept informed.

When does the Board of Directors meet?

The Board of Directors scheduled meetings are posted in the building and on the website (https://sites.google.com/site/dentplacecondo/) or circulated in advance of these meetings. All owners are invited to attend the meetings, excepting any confidential discussions which occur in executive session at the beginning or end of each meeting pursuant to the bylaws of the Association. If you wish to bring a matter before the Board for discussion, you must submit your request to the Managing Agent at least seven days before the meeting date so that your issue may be placed on the meeting agenda.

Do I need renters and/or homeowners insurance?

In a word, yes. The Association’s master policy does not cover the contents of homes and has a deductible of $1,000, payable by the Unit owner who has experienced a loss. Contact the the managing Agent for more information on the master policy.

There’s a mouse in my kitchen. Who should I call?

Dent Place provides pest control in the common areas. A limited number of appointments are available for unit owners to schedule service to their units for any covered pest (generally rats, mice, most ants, and roaches) during the pest control technician’s regularly scheduled visit. Pest control visits on other dates are the unit owner’s responsibility.

The interior wall is wet. I think the water is coming from the brickwork. What should I do?

The Managing Agent will dispatch a contractor upon request to correct the problem; however, should the water be found to originate from any location belonging to the Unit owner (such as a condensation leak from the HVAC system, or a leak from the window), the bill will be the responsibility of the unit owner. It is recommended that the unit owner arrange to be present to meet with the contractor to determine the origin of the problem. The quality and scope of work performed to a unit is between the unit owner and the contractor, and Dent Place will not supervise work, negotiate terms or act as a go-between. Should it be determined that the problem is an Association expense, it may be necessary for the Managing Agent to obtain multiple bids and seek Board approval before work can be completed.

I want to replace my unit door. Do I need permission?

Any exterior changes must follow specific guidelines, and be approved by the Board of Directors. An application form may be obtained from the Managing Agent and on this site. These requests will be reviewed at the next Board meeting if possible. No changes may be made until approval has been received by the Unit owner.

I want to plant some flowers in the garden. Are there rules about what I can plant?

The Association engages a landscaper to plant and tend the gardens. No changes may be made to the garden without prior written permission from the Board of Directors.

I need to shut off the water for some plumbing work in my unit. Where are the valves?

The valves are located in various places, including individually assigned storage bins. Therefore, the Association requires that its agents perform any water shut offs. Unit owners should contact the Managing Agent to schedule a date and time for a water shut off. The unit owner is responsible for posting notices by the mailbox and laundry room at least 72 hours in advance of the scheduled time. The cost of labor for the water shut off will be billed to the unit owner. Currently, the Association offers water shutoffs for free if they performed on Wednesdays, and are coordinated with other work being done by CSI in the building. Free water shut offs, and/or the times and dates available for scheduling, are subject to change without notice.

I don’t care about storm windows or screens. Why do I have to have them?

Yes, missing or damaged storms and screens detract from the appearance of the building, and may result in damage to windows or frames and decrease property values. Furthermore they can cause water damage to units and affect the structural integrity of the building. Storms protect Unit windows and the building structure. They help keep air conditioning and heating from escaping, thereby reducing the Association’s energy bills and are more environmentally responsible.

Why is it so important to follow the noise rules at Dent Place?

Dent Place was constructed in 1902-1903, with no soundproofing between floors or inside interior walls. Heavy footsteps and loud appliances, voices, music, television, etc., can be disturbing to residents in adjacent Units. The sounds of slamming doors and loud conversation carries from the common hallways to all interior areas of nearby Units. Owners and residents shall take special care to minimize noise during the hours defined as nighttime in the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (after 9:00 p.m. and prior to 7:00 a.m. on weekdays; and after 9:00 p.m. and prior to 9:00 a.m. on weekends and holidays.)

All walking areas and 85% of wood floors in Units shall be covered by carpeting, rugs and padding of sufficient thickness and quality as to prevent the transfer of unreasonable and disruptive levels of noise to the Unit below as determined by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion. The Board of Directors may at its sole discretion schedule periodic inspections of all Units to ensure compliance.

Remodeling and construction in Units shall be restricted to the hours of 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. No remodeling or construction may be performed on federal government holidays without prior written permission from the management agent or Board of Directors.

Are pets allowed?

Pets are allowed, subject to the Rules, Regulations & By-Laws of the Association, concerning pets being strictly followed. Consult the Rules and Regulations for more information.

Why didn’t the trash company remove the mattress I left in the trash room?

The trash company does not remove large bulk items as part of its contract with the Association. You are responsible for removing these items yourself. The Association provides for bulk item removal twice a year. Bulk items cannot be left in any common areas and should be stored in your storage unit until bulk removal notices are posted. You may contact the Managing Agent if you would like a cost estimate for having certain bulk items removed.