In our busy world of the internet, mobile phones, television, email, social media, and daily conversation, we’re on 24-7 information overload. We’re communicating non-stop all day, and when we finally reach the comfort of our home we just want to catch our breath. However, communication is what we were made for, and it keeps us informed about life around us. So, when you receive communication from the HOA board, there a few things you don’t want to do.

Don’t put the monthly newsletter in the junk mail pile

If you’re like us, you probably just throw your junk mail away without giving it a second glance or maybe it gets opened if the sender was clever enough to make it look interesting. Be sure to actually read the newsletter from your homeowners association, instead of putting it in the junk mail pile. It may have detailed articles about recent Board decisions, announcements about upcoming social events, or important information about legal issues or homeowner trends.

Don’t make a paper airplane out of your special notice

If you’ve violated a homeowners association rule or failed to pay your HOA fees, than you may be fined. Just like when you get a parking ticket, failure to pay can result in a $50 fine turning into $500 or the HOA board having to take action and hire an attorney. By acknowledging the notice received from your homeowners association, you can save yourself a lot of time and money too.

Don’t mark email communications as spam

Some homeowners associations may send out communications electronically to save paper and be more economical. These are important to take a glance at before hitting the delete button. They may be providing weekly reminders about operations, such as the time pool maintenance occurs; give you links to resources, such as home maintenance tips; or include attachments, such as the minutes of the HOA board meeting.

Don’t accuse your dog of eating the CC&Rs

When you first move into your homeowners association, you receive a copy of the Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions or CC&Rs of the association. It’s easy to just stash these away and forget about them, or maybe even lose them completely. Instead of blaming Fido for chewing them up, file them away in a safe place. They may be a valuable resource for you to come back to sometime if you have any questions at all about rules and regulations within the association.

Don’t ignore the bulletin boards

Take a moment to glance at the bulletin boards, usually in a central location of the homeowners association like the clubhouse or gate entrance. They often have approved flyers from other HOA members advertising items for sale or postings from the association advertising upcoming social events and meetings.

Don’t conveniently schedule to clean out your closets the night of the annual member meeting

The member’s meeting provides a recap of the homeowners association’s accomplishments from the past year, and well as the goals and activities for the upcoming year.

If you haven’t noticed the theme already, it’s important to be informed. Your HOA board should be doing everything it can to communicate with you, and it’s your job to pay attention.