It is highly common for your local HOA to have homeowner laws in place so the environment you live in is more pleasant for all. However, in some cases, rules are there to be broken, and with violations come consequences. Because the contract that many people sign from their HOA is legally binding, the consequences can be more severe that you originally think.

If you are not legally versed, then you will not know that the documentation that you see when you join a Homeowners Association is known as CC&Rs. This is an abbreviation for the documents which are known as Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions. In simplistic terms, these documents aim to explain to residents what the rules of the area are. This is where homeowner laws are defined for your association.

To prevent any unfairness within the remit of the HOA, all residents have the right to have their say on how the Homeowners Association is run by attending frequent meetings that look at the key issues of the local area. In addition, they can suggest any modifications to CC&Rs that they believe are necessary. All contractual changes need to be put to a vote, with a majority vote being the usual way for a motion to be passed.

The powers of your Homeowners Association can vary heavily depending on the size of the community that the organisation represents and the state in which your neighbourhood is based. In areas where HOAs are very similar to local governments in the amount of power they have, like California and Florida, you can find that law comes into play.

Some HOAs in states like these have the right to levy fines on those who repeatedly breach regulations and those who make extreme violations of the terms set out in the area's CC&R. You could find that these fines are payable by law and that a lawsuit is a possibility if you refuse to pay, as well as your membership from the HOA being withdrawn.

All of this said, Homeowners association law can be on your side if your organisation is corrupted or is treating you unfairly for whatever reason. Such rare examples of this include a rule that bans satellite dishes from being installed on properties in a neighbourhood and a fine that you believe is questionable.

It's sad but true that many people get the misconception of a HOA being an organisation that is looking to make trouble in the local area and holding the objective to fine everybody as much as possible. For the vast majority of the thousands of organisations that exist across North America, this is not the case.

Usually, the membership fees that you pay and the money from the few fines that are levied can go to improvements in the local neighbourhood, with leisure complexes and maintenance to improve quality of life all possible. The privileges of being a HOA member can be more inconvenient usually outweigh the disadvantages.

The sense of community can be humbling - and when things get tough, it can be reassuring to know that your Homeowners Association can be behind you every step of the way. On the other hand, if you aren't careful and don't understand what you are getting into, homeowner laws can also be your worst enemy.

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