Dues & Payments
What your assessment pays for, when it’s due, the easiest ways to pay, and what to do if a payment is ever missed. Colorado law asks associations to spell this out plainly, and we’re glad to — no surprises.
Current assessment
| Item | Amount | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Regular assessment | $120 | Per month — $360 quarterly, $1,440 annually |
| Due date | 5th of the month | 15-day grace period |
| Late fee | $50 per month | Charged after the 20th of the month, and again each month the balance stays unpaid |
| Interest on unpaid balances | 8% per year | Accrues on any unpaid assessment, fine, or fee |
| Returned payment fee | $75 | If a check or electronic payment is not honored by the bank, for any reason |
| Special assessment | None | No special assessment is currently in effect |
Assessments are set each year with the budget. Owners are notified of any change before it takes effect, and the budget is posted on the Documents page.
What your dues cover
Assessments fund the shared costs of the community and build reserves for major repairs, so those costs don’t arrive as an emergency special assessment later.
Grounds & Landscaping
Common area mowing, HOA trees and shrubs maintenance, irrigation system operation and repair, and seasonal cleanup.
Snow Removal
Clearing of common area walking paths per the Association’s snow removal policy, with a trigger depth of over about an inch.
Insurance
The Association’s master policy and directors & officers coverage. Owners still need their own HO-6 or homeowner policy.
Common Area Maintenance
Repair and upkeep of the sprinkler system infrastructure and walkways managed by the Association.
Reserves
Money set aside for large future replacements identified in the reserve study, such as updating the sprinkler system and replacing turf with xeriscape to reduce water dependency.
Administration
Accounting, annual registration with the Secretary of State and Colorado Division of Real Estate, legal and audit costs, office supplies, mailings, and this website.
What your dues do not cover
Water, sewer, and trash. These are City of Montrose utilities, billed by the City directly to each household — not through your assessment. A new owner needs to open an account in their own name.
Gas, electricity, internet, and phone. Arranged by each owner with the provider of their choice.
Your own home. The residence, its interior, its contents, and the owner’s personal liability insurance. The Association’s policy does not insure your home — see the Association Insurance Summary.
To start or ask about City utility service, call 970-240-1400 and ask to be routed to the right department, or visit the City’s Utility Billing page. The Association cannot open, transfer, or close a utility account for you.
How to pay
By mail
Make checks payable to Vineyards HOA I and write your unit address or account number on the memo line.
P.O. Box 966, Montrose, CO 81402
Online / bank bill pay
Free through your own bank — no fee to you or the Association. Set it once and it runs on its own.
In person
Payments may be delivered to the Association’s Bookkeeper:
San Juan Bookkeeping
318 7th Street
Montrose, CO 81401
Please include your unit address on every payment so it’s credited to the right account.
Setting up bank bill pay
Most banks offer free bill pay through online banking. It is the simplest way to keep your account current, and it costs neither you nor the Association anything.
Step by step
- Log in to your online bank account.
- Go to “Pay Bills,” then select “Add a Biller.”
- Complete the biller information using the details in the box to the right.
- Choose your payment frequency and amount:
- Annually — $1,440 once a year
- Quarterly — $360 every three months
- Monthly — $120 every month
- Set your payment due date — for example, the 5th of the month.
Biller information
Biller name
Vineyards HOA I
Mailing address
P.O. Box 966, Montrose, CO 81402
Account number
Email the Board
for the account number — we’ll send it to you directly.
How it works
Between 7 and 10 business days before your due date, your bank withdraws the payment from your account, prints a check payable to Vineyards HOA I, and mails it to the P.O. Box above.
Because the payment is sent by mail, please choose a payment due date before the 20th so the check reaches the P.O. Box on time and no late fee is assessed.
If a payment is missed
Everyone has a tough month now and then. Colorado’s HB22-1137 sets out how associations handle unpaid assessments and asks them to explain the process clearly, so here it is. The protections below come from Colorado law and apply now. The Association’s collections policy — adopted September 15, 2026, effective November 1 — describes how the Board follows them, and is posted on the Documents page. In broad terms:
- We’ll reach out to you first. Colorado requires the Association to try to reach an owner in more than one way before referring an account to collections — and we would much rather talk with you anyway.
- Most owners can request an eighteen-month payment plan. The Association must offer one before referring an account to collections or an attorney. Two exceptions under that policy: an owner who has already had a payment plan with the Association, and a non-occupying owner who acquired the unit through foreclosure. If you’re not sure whether you qualify, just ask — the Board would always rather find a way to help.
- A missed payment can bring the rest of the year’s dues due at once. Under the collections policy taking effect November 1, if a payment remains unpaid 30 days after its due date, the Association may declare the remaining installments of that year’s assessment immediately due. That’s a good reason to let us know early if a month is going to be hard.
- Payments are applied to assessments first. Money you pay goes to the principal assessment balance before fines, fees, or interest.
- You can get a free statement of your account. The Association sends a monthly itemized statement to any owner with a delinquent balance, and must provide a ledger within seven business days of a request, at no charge.
- Attorney and collection costs are capped. The Association may recover no more than the lesser of $5,000 (adjusted annually for inflation) or fifty percent of the amounts owed, and only after a notice of delinquency has been sent.
- Fines alone cannot cost you your home. HB22-1137 sharply restricted foreclosure, and an Association may not foreclose based on unpaid fines or fees.
- Foreclosure is truly a last resort, with strict preconditions. The delinquency must equal at least six months of assessments; the Association must first offer a payment plan in writing and wait thirty days; for an owner living in the unit it must generally obtain a court judgment first; and it must give thirty days’ notice of your right to mediation and to credit counseling. It then requires a recorded Board vote authorizing foreclosure against your specific unit — a general authorization to pursue delinquent accounts is not enough.
Having trouble with a payment? Let’s talk.
A short email to [email protected] is all it takes to start the conversation. We’re your neighbors, and we would much rather work out a plan together than involve an attorney — that’s better for everyone.
This page is a plain-language summary for owner convenience. The Association’s recorded Declaration, its collections policy, and Colorado law control in the event of any inconsistency, and nothing here is legal advice.