Washington Court of Appeals Rejects Owner's Assessment Exemption Claim

An owner in a condominium association recently refused to pay assessments on his unit and argued that he was exempt from doing so due to the association's mismanagement of common funds. The Washington Court of Appeals rejected the owner's argument. It ruled that the association was entitled to a summary judgment because the owner did not contest the amount of the unpaid assessments or the association's right to impose those assessments pursuant to the condominium's declaration. It further ruled that the owner had not submitted any evidence that the association had committed any acts or omissions that violated its duty to manage the common funds with ordinary and reasonable care.