COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina consumers who live in neighborhoods under homeowners associations (HOA) or those who serve on association boards may have questions about laws that apply to HOAs. The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) has released new HOA education to help. Several resources have been created with consumers and associations in mind, including:

•    Top Five Questions about SCDCA and HOAs. This video explains SCDCA's role in the HOA arena.
•    How Does a HOA Know What They Can and Cannot Do? This publication focuses on laws that may apply to HOAs and how to find out your rights and responsibilities.
•    HOA: Before You Buy. This publication focuses on what consumers should consider before they buy a home within an HOA.

All these publications and more are available on the new HOA Education webpage. A free webinar reviewing the webpage and topics covered in the printed materials will also be available for the public to watch on:

•    Wednesday, November 6, 2 p.m. Register here. 

The education content is based on questions received by SCDCA staff from homeowners and associations, a review of education presented by various state and federal agencies as well as issues raised in complaints. SCDCA processes HOA complaints via voluntary mediation and is required to collect certain data from these complaints and report it annually. To file a complaint, visit our website and click “How Do I…”then the “File a Complaint?”option.  To view the first HOA Complaint Report visit consumer.sc.gov and click on News, then Reports.

About SCDCA
The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs aims to protect consumers from inequities in the marketplace through advocacy, complaint mediation, enforcement and education. To file a complaint or get information on consumer issues, visit consumer.sc.gov or call toll-free in SC: 1 (800) 922-1594.