Condominium associations handle money, property, and daily decisions for the community. Clear records help your board stay organized and show owners how the association operates. New Hampshire law focuses on when you must provide access to records, so you need a simple system that keeps documents easy to find.
Financial records you must maintain
Keep clear financial records that show how you collect and spend assessment funds. These include annual budgets, ledgers, bank statements, invoices, reserve account statements, tax returns, and audit reports. New Hampshire law requires you to provide certain financial information within 15 days of an owner’s request, and you may charge a reasonable fee if the request goes back more than three fiscal years. Keep at least three fiscal years ready to access and store older records in an organized file system.
Governance documents and meeting materials
Keep your declaration, bylaws, rules, and all amendments together so the board can confirm its authority at any time. Maintain board and membership meeting minutes as permanent records because they show votes, budget approvals, rule changes, and election results. State law requires you to make minutes available within 60 days of the meeting or within 15 days after approval, whichever comes first. Prompt preparation and storage of minutes can reduce disputes.
Owner and contract records
Maintain a current list of unit owners with mailing addresses and contact details, along with payment histories and account balances. These records help you respond to resale certificate requests and ownership questions. Keep copies of active contracts such as management agreements, service contracts, and insurance policies. Retain expired contracts for several years in case questions arise later.
How long should you keep records?
New Hampshire’s condominium statute does not set one retention period for every record, but it does require specific access rules. Build your policy around the three-fiscal-year framework in the statute and follow federal tax guidance for documents that support filed returns. A written records retention policy that explains timelines and storage methods can improve consistency and reduce conflict.