Maintenance
Home Maintenance
Although Whittington is made of townhomes, or attached units, they are "fee simple". That means each owner is responsible for their own unit (roof, walls, plumbing, etc.) as though it was not attached. There are very few exceptions to this; please see the comparison below.
All painting and architectural control changes must be approved by the Board of Directors before any work begins. Read more on the Architectural Control webpage.
Division of Responsibilities per Governing Documents
Homeowner Responsibility
The Unit structure itself, both interior and exterior, is the Homeowner’s Responsibility entirely with very few exceptions. The owner must maintain in good repair:
Fenced-in Landscaping - Fenced-in areas are not maintained by the Association.
Exterior of the Unit
Interior of the Unit
Roofs
Walls
Painting
Gutters
Shutters
Garage Doors
Patios and Decks
Fences
Driveways
Walkways and Stoops
Other approved attached structures
Homeowners Insurance Policy - Each owner must maintain a multi-peril insurance policy at 100% replacement cost.
Storm or Water Damage
Walls Between Units, or “Party Walls” (See below)
Windows
Service Water Lines (Home to Street)
Association Responsibility
The Association has the following responsibilities to the unit owners:
Landscaping - Fenced-in areas are not maintained by the Association.
Termite Bond
Gate System
Swimming Pools & Pool Cabanas
Dog Park & Dog Stations
Playground and Soccer Field
Trash Service - Trash collection is included with the cost of your dues.
Road Maintenance
Approval of all modification requests including approval of paint colors. Please note that painting is the owner’s responsibility and each home has particular colors assigned to it. Any changes must be approved before painting begins. You also need permission to paint the house the same color.
Helpful Documents for Homeowner Maintenance
Your Board of Directors and other volunteers have created a number of helpful documents for Whittington, including:
Approved Fence & Deck Stains
Paint Colors by Lot
Water Service Line Procedure
Window Seal Failure
Download these files under the Architectural folder on your HMS Community Website or the HMS Express app.
Walls Between Units
Walls between units are often referred to as "party walls". Water damage in party walls is a homeowner-to-homeowner issue. Each pipe belongs to either one unit owner or the other, and the owner whose pipe created the leak is responsible for the damage. Once the water leak is investigated, it will be determined who is ultimately responsible. If you are not able to contact the adjacent owner regarding water damage in a party wall, then please Contact HMS.
Winter Weather
As a townhome resident, we all need to work together to protect our property.
Whenever the weather drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, all homeowners and residents should keep their heaters set to 50 degrees Fahrenheit or higher to prevent pipes from freezing and/or busting. Read more from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
