---
title: Should Condo HOA Fees Account for Private Basement Square Footage?
description: A condo owner in Kansas questions whether their HOA is calculating monthly fees fairly, since first-floor units with full private basements are being charged the same as second-floor units without any basement space. With vague bylaw language around unit size, who is right? What would you do in this situation?
image: https://www.condoassociation.com/hubfs/CA%20Blog%20Hero%20%281%29-4-Should%20different%20unit%20sizes%20pay%20the%20same.png
---

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# Should Condo HOA Fees Account for Private Basement Square Footage?

| [kansas](https://www.condoassociation.com/blog/topic/kansas) |  

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## What do you think? Question:

*This question was submitted by Roger from Kansas*

My condo HOA charges all units the same monthly fee, "based on sq footage". But all 1st floor units have full basements the same size as their unit. The 2nd floor condo units do not have any basements.

So the first-floor condo units have twice the total square footage of the second-floor units if you count their basement area. Their basements are all used for storage, furnaces, washer/dryer and shelving. Some have partially finished basements, others do not.

The by-laws vaguely say, "unit size can change based on modifications”, and some owners have not included the footage of private basements as ‘usable space’.

Is it fair I pay the same HOA fee as someone with twice my square footage?  

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## What do you think? Answers (3)

#### What are your thoughts on this topic?

***Comments and postings are not legal advice**, but are the opinions of our readers. This forum and its contents are being monitored. Please be respectful of each other. *  
  

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