HB 1222: Property; regulation of specialized land transactions; provide issuance of statements of accounts

Under current Georgia law, condo associations and property owners' associations must provide a statement of unpaid assessments on request, but the process is loosely defined and failure to respond within five days extinguishes the association's lien. HB 1222 replaces that system with a detailed new procedure. It creates new Code sections (44-3-109.1 for condos and 44-3-232.2 for property owners' associations) requiring associations to issue a 'statement of account' within ten business days of a written or electronic request from an owner, mortgage lender, or mortgagee. The bill spells out exactly what must be in the statement (assessment amounts, dates paid, violations, insurance information, bylaws, and more), gives it a 30-day effective period, and caps the fee an association's agent can charge at $250, plus $50 for expedited service within three business days. It also extends similar statement-of-account requirements to certain homeowners' associations governing subdivisions of 15 or more lots that are not currently covered by the condo or property owners' association acts. The changes would not apply to contracts signed before July 1, 2026, until those contracts expire or are first renewed.

• Creates new Code Section 44-3-109.1 requiring condo associations to issue a detailed statement of account within ten business days of a written or electronic request.
• Creates new Code Section 44-3-232.2 imposing the same statement of account requirements on property owners' associations.
• Adds new Code Section 44-3-251 extending statement of account requirements to homeowners' associations governing subdivisions of 15 or more lots not already covered by the condo or property owners' association laws.
• Caps the fee an association's authorized agent may charge for preparing a statement of account at $250, plus an extra $50 for expedited three-day service, and bars charging the requester directly.
• Repeals the old five-business-day statement requirement and the rule that a late statement automatically extinguishes the association's lien.
• Sets a 30-day effective period for statements of account and allows amended statements if a sale or refinancing has not yet closed.

Condominium owners, homeowners in property owners' associations and larger unrestricted subdivisions, prospective buyers, mortgage lenders and mortgagees, community association boards and their management companies, and attorneys handling delinquent accounts are all directly affected by these new procedures.

Buyers and lenders would get a more standardized, detailed accounting of what a property owner owes an association before a sale or refinancing closes, with a fee cap protecting them from excessive charges. Associations would face firmer deadlines and content requirements but lose the current rule that a late response wipes out their lien.

• Section 1 updates a cross-reference in O.C.G.A. § 44-3-80 to point to the new statement of account section for condos, 44-3-109.1.
• Sections 2-3 repeal the old five-day statement process in O.C.G.A. § 44-3-109 and add new Code Section 44-3-109.1 with a ten-business-day deadline and detailed content and fee rules.
• Sections 4-6 make parallel changes for property owners' associations, repealing part of O.C.G.A. § 44-3-232 and adding new Code Section 44-3-232.2.
• Section 7 adds new Code Section 44-3-251, extending statement of account rules to homeowners' associations for subdivisions with 15 or more lots that are not covered by the existing condo or property owners' association laws.
• Section 8 updates O.C.G.A. § 44-14-15 to cross-reference the new 44-3-232.2 statement requirement.
• Section 9 states the Act does not apply to contracts signed before July 1, 2026 until those contracts expire or are first renewed.

1. 2026-02-18House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2026-02-09House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2026-02-06House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2026-02-05House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Regina Lewis-Ward (D, HD-115)Patrocinador principal
• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
• Dale Washburn (R, HD-144)
• Billy Mitchell (D, HD-088)
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)

• homeowners associations
• condominium law
• property transactions
• real estate closings
• HOA fees