Welcome to the Coventry Homeowner Association Website

Policy Regarding the Rental of your Coventry Home

Coventry has not experienced many home rentals, but it is an important option for homeowners upon occasion. The Association's outside attorney has cited increasing difficulties with renters in other homeowner associations, often resulting from a combination of renters either not understanding a neighborhood's covenants or not being required to follow them. At our attorney's recommendation, the Association's Board approved in early 2014 a Standing Rule for those renting using its authority under North Carolina's Planned Community Act to create rules for the Association beyond the Covenants if it was to the neighborhood's benefit. This Policy provides the full extent of the Standing Rule on home rentals as approved by the Board.

Rental terms of no less than six months or one year are permitted.  A new, modified rental agreement form is attached and is to be added to the site to be downloaded as needed by homeowners. If a Homeowner chooses to rent their home, there are several steps the Homeowner must take:

1. They must notify the Association Secretary in writing of their intent to rent and the period of the new lease.
    
2. Prior to the rental initiation, the Homeowner must attend a briefing by the Chairperson, Architectural Review on what they need to cover with their property manager and the eventual lessee about Coventry's Covenants, Bylaws, and Standing Rules (Coventry's protective documents).
    
3. They must include in their rental agreement language which requires lessees to comply with Coventry's protective documents. Further, the language must also state that the lessee's failure to comply with Coventry's protective documents can result in immediate termination of the rental agreement.
    
4. The Homeowner must provide the lessee with a copy of Coventry's protective documents, and the Homeowner must also ensure that key portions of these documents are reviewed with the lessee. Further, the Homeowner must obtain from the lessee a signed statement that the lessee has reviewed and agrees to the protective documents and also their responsibility for following them. A signed acknowledgement must be returned to the Secretary within fifteen days after the rental agreement has been signed.

Homeowners are responsible for ensuring that their lessees obey Coventry's protective documents. Any violation by a lessee is a violation by the Homeowner/lessor. Homeowners may not delegate the responsibility for obeying all of Coventry's protective documents to a lessee or to any other person or entity. Through careful monitoring, Homeowners who rent are fully responsible for those renting to make sure that violations of the protective documents are just as rare as those of other homeowners.

Fines may of course be levied by the Board for violations of Coventry's protective documents as set forth in North Carolina's Planned Community Act. Additionally, if in an unlikely future situation, a Homeowner has shown continuing disregard of Coventry's protective documents based on the number and/or severity of the violations over time , then the Association's Board may consider other options including banning the Homeowner from renting for one year after the expiration of the current lease term. Under such unlikely circumstances, if a Homeowner, after receiving notice from the Board that further rental has been suspended for a year, renews the existing lease or enters a new lease of the property, the Board may fine the Homeowner in accordance with amounts permitted by North Carolina's Planned Community Act as long as the banned lease is in place. The amount of any fines due to rentals shall be a lien on the property and shall continue as a lien until paid in full.

Suggested rental agreement wording for ensuring compliance by renters with Coventry's Covenants and Rules follows for those who may consider renting their home:

"The Coventry subdivision has a set of Covenants, Bylaws, and Standing Rules designed to maintain and enhance the quality of life in Coventry and to protect property values. All residents, both owners or renters, are required to comply with these documents, which can be found on Coventry's website at www.coventryws.com. Failure of a renter complying with these Coventry documents may result in immediate termination of the renter's lease agreement. By signing this lease, you are agreeing as a Coventry resident that you will become familiar with these documents on the website and remain in compliance with them for the duration of your lease."

Adopted by the Board in February 2014 with approved modifications in February 2015 and November 2017.