8.12 Department of Consumer Affairs Services for Homeowners and Homeowners Associations Act

• Library: South Carolina Community Association Law: Condominiums and Homeowners Associations (SCBar) (2019 Ed.)

8.12 Department of Consumer Affairs Services for Homeowners and Homeowners Associations Act

Under the Department of Consumer Affairs Services for Homeowners and Homeowners Associations Act,⁶³⁴ the South Carolina the Department of Consumer Affairs is authorized to include on its publicly available Internet website:

• Information for homeowners and homeowners associations about how they may contact the department on its toll-free number or submit complaint forms.
• Information about the governance of homeowners associations as provided in the South Carolina Code.
• Educational and reference materials about homeowners associations, including general information about the roles, rights, and responsibilities of the board,⁶³⁵ declarant,⁶³⁶ homeowners,⁶³⁷ and other parties.⁶³⁸

The Department is authorized to receive and record data from any calls or written complaints from homeowners or homeowners associations.⁶³⁹ A call or written complaint must, at a minimum, include the following information to be completed on a form by the homeowner or homeowners association or, if received by telephone, on a form completed by a Department employee identified on the form:

• Homeowner's name.
• Name of the homeowners association and their contact information, including the county and city where it is located.
• Name of the homeowners association management company, if any, and its contact information, including telephone number, owner's name, and street and mailing addresses.
• Whether a homeowner was informed of the requirement of membership in a homeowners association as a condition of home ownership, including when that information was provided and by whom, received a copy of the governing documents of the association and if the copy was obtained before or after receiving title

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