Beaufort County among top areas in SC for HOA complaints. Here’s what residents are saying
Complaints filed against homeowners’ associations in South Carolina have surged in recent years, according to new data from the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs.
According to the agency, HOA-related complaints increased 176% between 2019 and 2025.
In 2025 alone, the department received 586 complaints targeting 339 homeowner associations and property management companies across the state.
Beaufort County once again ranked among the top five counties for HOA complaints, tying with Dorchester County with 27 total complaints. Nearby Jasper County recorded just four complaints, but ranked fifth statewide with complaints per capita, tying with Richland County at 0.13%.
Below is a breakdown of 2025 complaints filed and their status in Beaufort and Jasper County communities, according to state records.
Beaufort County HOA complaints
Hilton Head Island Motorcoach Resort: A homeowner alleged the HOA board was acting as a landlord in violation of zoning restrictions, potentially jeopardizing the resort’s non-profit status. This complaint received a satisfactory response.
Heritage at New Riverside: Residents raised concerns about maintenance and repairs, but due to disputed facts, an undetermined response was received.
A separate complaint involved a lien placed on a property and a request for waiver or adjustment of late fees, which did not receive a response and was left unsatisfied.
The Preserve at Indigo Run: Complaints included concerns over the allocation of HOA funds, failure to produce financial statements and ignored requests to access association documents. This complaint received a satisfactory response.
Pinecrest Property Owners Association: A homeowner alleged the POA failed to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request and conducted secret meetings outside executive session without taking minutes. This complaint received a satisfactory response.
Berkeley Hall Club: Residents cited failure to notify homeowners of board actions, concerns over allocation of funds, denial of the right to attend meetings or vote on subject matter changes, and failure to enforce covenants and bylaws. Due to disputed facts, an undetermined response was received.
Sun City Hilton Head Community: A homeowner requested a waiver or adjustment of a violation assessment. This complaint received a satisfactory response.
Four Seasons Carolina Oaks: A complaint alleged that there were ignored requests to access association information and documents. This complaint received a satisfactory response.
Palmetto Bluff: Multiple complaints were filed in 2025, including concerns regarding maintenance and repairs, disagreement over HOA fees and special assessments, claims of paying for services or amenities not being provided, failure to notify residents of board actions, issues related to board elections, failure to hold regular meetings, concerns about allocation of HOA funds, disputes over how assessment costs are split between homeowners and unsold lots, and dissatisfaction with developer management of the HOA.
All complaints received a satisfactory response.
Mill Creek at Cypress Ridge: One homeowner requested a waiver or adjustment of what they described as an excessive fine related to pool policy violations. This complaint received an undetermined response due to disputed facts.
An additional complaint cited failure to enforce covenants and concerns regarding maintenance, which received a satisfactory response.
Summerfield Villas: One complaint included failure to enforce covenants and bylaws, concerns over allocation of funds and a denial of the right to attend meetings or vote. This received a satisfactory response.
Another complaint stressed there was a failure to notify residents of board actions, which also received a satisfactory response.
Picket Fences: A homeowner alleged selective enforcement of covenants by the HOA president and also cited maintenance concerns and failure to enforce governing documents. This complaint did not receive a response and was left unsatisfied.
Azalea Square: Residents raised concerns regarding open meeting and notice requirements, transparency, failure to enforce covenants and bylaws and failure to notify residents of board actions. This complaint received a satisfactory response.
Palmetto Pointe Townes: Complaints included concerns over maintenance and repairs, allocation of HOA funds and disagreement with fees or special assessments. The complaint received a satisfactory response.
Belfair: A complaint alleged a failure to enforce covenants and bylaws. This complaint received a satisfactory response.
Mariners Cove Club: A homeowner raised concerns regarding maintenance and repairs. Due to pending court action, this complaint is currently undetermined.
Old House Creek: Complaints included failure to enforce covenants, failure to notify residents of board actions, maintenance concerns and denial of the right to attend meetings or vote. These complaints received a satisfactory response.
Brighton Bay: A complaint cited ignored requests to access information and failure to produce financial statements, which received a satisfactory response.
Hampton Lake: Residents alleged failure to notify homeowners of board actions and raised concerns regarding allocation of HOA funds. No response was received, leaving this complaint unsatisfied.
Oldfield: One complaint involved maintenance concerns and issues related to decisions made by the architectural review committee, which received a satisfactory response.
Another complaint cited failure to enforce covenants, concerns about allocation of funds and ignored requests to access HOA documents. This complaint received an undetermined response due to disputed facts.
The Haven at New Riverside: Complaints included failure to enforce covenants, disagreement with HOA fees or special assessments and failure to produce financial statements. These complaints received a satisfactory response.
Harbor Island: Residents alleged that requests for information were ignored, failure to notify homeowners of board actions and failure to enforce governing documents. These complaints received a satisfactory response.
Jasper County HOA complaints
Although Jasper County recorded only four complaints in 2025, it ranked among the higher counties per capita.
Issues submitted by homeowners included:
Hilton Head Lakes: One complaint alleged that residents were paying for services or amenities not being provided. A second complaint involved disagreement with HOA fees or special assessments and a request to opt out of irrigation services paid for through the HOA. Both complaints received a satisfactory response.
Latitude Margaritaville: A complaint involved access to HOA amenities. Due to no response, this complaint was left unsatisfied.
Riverton Pointe: A complaint included issues with decisions made by the architectural review committee, maintenance concerns, actions taken by the property management company and failure to enforce covenants and bylaws. This complaint received a satisfactory response.
The full list of complaints can be viewed on the Excel sheet in the SCDCA’s 2026 report.
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How do these complaints work?
The SCDCA categorizes complaints by status to determine appropriate responses. In many cases, the department refers disputes back to the HOA for internal resolution rather than taking direct enforcement action.
The statuses are outlined as follows:
- Satisfied/Consumer Satisfied/Adequate Business Response: Consumer/complainant received an adequate response to the complaint. A response is received and passes the necessary guidelines from the SCDCA.
- Unsatisfied: No response received.
- Referred: The complaint is handed over to another agency for review.
- Information: The complaint is informative and has no response requirement.
- Duplicate: Complaints already filed.
- Insufficient Merit: Complaint can’t be determined based on the information provided/Not a real complaint.
- Abandoned: Consumer didn’t provide all the required information for their complaint.
- Undetermined: Adequate response was received, but there are disputed facts still in place regarding concerns and response.
- Pending: Response and label are still under review.
Residents can file complaints with the agency, which then reviews documentation, contacts the association for a response and tracks the outcome. However, the department does not typically have authority to overturn HOA decisions, instead serving as a mediator and record-keeper for consumer concerns.
To learn more about the different types of complaint statuses, the SCDCA has a complaint label video.
To learn more about South Carolina’s HOA guidelines and complaints, visit the SCDCA webpage.
