NOT LESS THAN . . .

I read it as being neither.

It can be ay time frame that is a quarter or longer. It can not be a time frame that is less than a quarter. For instance, you can't do the assessments monthly or twice a quarter.

More frequently than quarterly would be more than once a quarter. Less frequently would be anytime that is once a quarter or less. "Not less" means it can't be more than once a quarter.

The assessment can be yearly, once every 2 years or any other time frame as long as you only do the maximum of one assessment per quarter.

I think it means at least quarterly. Why don't people write what they mean? You shouldn't have to guess at intent.

I agree with Mame. When I first read the sentence I thought....at least quarterly.

Surely it is obvious that "not less frequently than quarterly" means "at least quarterly"?

"less frequently" means "less often" or "fewer occurrences per unit of time".

"not less" means "at least".

If you search for "not less frequently than quarterly" you will find it used in lots of documents. Basically it is a legal term. Find a lawyer to interpret for you. You are getting bum advice here.


"Meetings shall be held from time to time but not less frequently than quarterly." The meetings do NOT have to be quarterly.

Making assessments on a condo more than once a quarter would be ridiculous and make a lot of people angry. Once a year would be normal but in unusual circumstances you can do it once a quarter. For instance if you have to do major repairs that were not calculated in the previous years assessment then you could hold a special assessment once every quarter.

It states very clearly that , "we need operating money each year and all your little houses (meaning you the owner) will have to pitch in and pay up a years assessment broken down into equal payments at a rate of at least every three months (depending on whether the "quarterly"assessment rate covers our needs that particular year )

However, from time to time and based upon whether we may need more money to cover unanticipated stuff like damages to the (boat docks or extra snowplowing for example ) we may need you to pay us at a rate more frequently than every three months (like every two months, or even every month in order to keep our cash flow up to where we need it to be , so we can cover these expenses.

By the way, theres not a damn thing you can do about this clause it if you decide to go ahead and sign this contract bunkie. So if we were you, wed escrow the money annually and have it like a sinking fund "

Actually I made that last paragraph up cause its not implicit in the language of the contract. Its only common sense.
You pay a fixed amount each year , and you pay it quarterly usually, but you may have to amke more payments where you divvy up the years amount and pay it in more frequent but equal payments.


I think that lawyers, when they write, have got a vested interest to never use "plain ENglish'

They have to happen once a quarter at least.

Maybe this thread should be in the Legal Forum.

As others have pointed out, "not less frequently than quarterly" means the same thing as "at least quarterly." In other words, the fewest number of assessment payments that a unit owner would make in a year is four, i.e. one per quarter -- it can't be less but it can be more than that.


Well, around these parts, monthly condo assessments are the norm. I've never heard of a condo association with quarterly assessments, let alone annual assessments, although I suppose a residential homeowners association might levy assessments on a quarterly or annual basis.

Thanks to everyone who took time to reply!

I agree with Contrex: They have to happen once a quarter at least.

This is a method of computation, not an actual bill or payment (although I talk to people in Florida who DO make monthly assessment payments.)

It is a way to require the board to justify the assessment figure at the most current time.

I don't know if it's different in the US, but in British legal terminology, "quarters", when related to rents, leases, etc, has a specific meaning.

In British and Irish tradition, the quarter days were the four dates in each year on which servants were hired, and rents and rates were due. They fell on four religious festivals roughly three months apart.

The significance of quarter days is now limited, although leasehold payments and rents for business premises in England are often still due on the old English quarter days.

The English quarter days (also observed in Wales) are:

* Lady Day (March 25)
* Midsummer Day (June 24)
* Michaelmas (September 29)
* Christmas (December 25)

(Note that in the Julian calendar, Lady Day was the first day of the year)

So, if an event needed to take place "not less frequently than once each quarter" that would mean that it had to happen at least once between March 25 and June 24th, and at least once between June 25th and September 29th, and so on through the year. Having the thing happen on each quarter day was a convenient way to fulfil the requirement.