Current through 2024 Legislative Session Act Chapter 531
Section 81-321 - Litigation involving declarant(a) An association's authority under § 81-302(a)(4) of this title to commence and pursue litigation involving the common interest community is subject to the following rules: (1) Before the association commences litigation, arbitration or any administrative proceedings against a declarant or any person employed by or under contract with a declarant involving any alleged construction defect with respect to the common interest community, the association shall provide written notice of its claims to the declarant and those persons whom the association seeks to hold responsible for the claimed defects (the "allegedly responsible persons"). The text of the notice may be in any form reasonably calculated to put the allegedly responsible persons on notice of the general nature of the association's claims including, without limitation, a list of the claimed defects. The notice may be delivered by any method of service and may be addressed to any person provided that the method of service and the person who is actually served either:(i) provides actual notice to the allegedly responsible persons named in the claim; or (ii) the method of service used would be sufficient under local law to confer personal jurisdiction over the person in connection with commencement of a lawsuit by the association against that person.(2) The association may not commence litigation, arbitration or any administrative proceedings against a responsible person for a period of 90 days after the association sends notice of its claim to that responsible person.(3) During the 90-day period, the declarant and any other responsible person may present to the association a plan to repair or otherwise remedy the construction defects described in the notice. If the association does not receive a timely remediation plan from each responsible person to whom it directed notice, the association shall be entitled to commence any proceedings against that responsible person as the board determines to be appropriate.(4) If the association does receive 1 or more timely plans to repair or otherwise remedy the construction defects described in the notice, then the executive board shall promptly consider those plans and then notify the responsible persons of whether or not each such plan is acceptable as presented, acceptable with stated conditions, or not accepted.(5) If the association accepts a repair plan from a responsible person, or if a responsible person agrees to stated conditions to an otherwise acceptable plan, then the parties shall agree on a timeframe for implementation of that plan, and the association shall not commence litigation, arbitration or any administrative proceedings against that allegedly responsible person during the time that the plan is being diligently implemented.(6) If an allegedly responsible person submits notice submits a timely repair plan but the association and the allegedly responsible party have not agreed in writing to the terms of the plan or its implementation, then the association is entitled to commence litigation, arbitration or any administrative proceedings against that person.(7) Except as provided in § 81-416(d) of this title with respect to warranty claims, any statute of limitation affecting the association's right of action against a declarant or other allegedly responsible person under this chapter is tolled during the 90-day period described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section above and during any extension of that time because the allegedly responsible person has commenced and is diligently pursuing the remediation plan.(8) After the time described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section expires, whether or not the association agrees to any repair plan, nothing in this section bars to the commencement of litigation by: (i) The association against an allegedly responsible person who fails to submit a timely repair plan or whose plan is not acceptable or who fails to diligently pursue implementation of that plan; or(ii) A unit owner with respect to that owner's unit and any limited common elements assigned to that unit, regardless of any actions of the association.(9) Nothing in this section precludes the association from making emergency repairs to correct any defect that poses a significant and immediate health or safety risk.(10) Subject to the other provisions of this section and the declaration, the determination of whether and when the association may commence any proceedings may be made by the executive board and nothing in this section requires a vote by any number or percentage of unit owners a precondition to litigation.76 Del. Laws, c. 422, § 2; 77 Del. Laws, c. 91, §§ 57, 82.;