The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will consider asking the Virginia Legislature to establish new oversight over condo property managers. County staff say there is nobody in state or local government overseeing the companies, and that complaints against them can only be resolved through civil action. Dranesville District Supervisor Joan DuBois said she called for the review after hearing of “questionable practices” by one property manager in her district.
“There appears to be no teeth to force them to do what they’re supposed to do,” she told The Examiner.
The potential problem has come to light following a period of rapid condo construction in Fairfax County, which now has more than 1,700 condominium associations.
But complaints about condo property managers are “not frequent at all,” said Dave Reidenbach, director of the county’s Consumer Protection Division. The agency has no ability to address such complaints, anyway, he said.
“There is nothing that the government does, either state or local, that would put their thumb on that kind of issue,” he said.
Because Virginia localities don’t have powers outside those granted to them by the commonwealth, Fairfax County will need to petition the General Assembly if it wants to establish new rules governing property managers. The Board of Supervisors’ legislative committee may review the matter later this month.
“More time is needed to look into it,” said county spokeswoman Merni Fitzgerald. “There is the possibility that some legislative actions may be needed to address this.”
