In July 2013, I bought a house in Minnesota. I was told when I purchased the house that there was a home owner's association and that the fees were $120 per year. Since then, I have received invoices from the home owner's association and I paid them promptly. Yesterday, I received two letters from a collection agency claiming that I owe$886.15 for the period of January 2014 to May 2015 and that I owe $636.40 for the period of January 2016 to January 2017. I was genuinely confused by these letters, as I thought that I had been paying my HOA fees promptly. I contacted a neighbor who is on the HOA board and he confirmed that my account is currently paid-in-full. This neighbor then revealed that there is a second homeowner's association that includes a fee of$60 per year. I have never heard of this second homeowner's association (i.e. I did not recognize its name when I was told of it) and I have never received an invoice from them. Indeed, the letters from the collection agency are literally the first communication that I have received from this second homeowner's agency.

After doing some investigating on the internet, I have learned that I should send the collection agency a debt validation letter within 30 days. I will definitely do this.

My remaining questions involve the process of disputing the claim of the debt. I am totally happy to make the HOA payments... I am someone who takes great pride in paying his bills. However, I would like to dispute all of the additional charges (assuming four years of HOA charges: 4 x $60 =$240... ergo, the "additional charges" = \$1282.55).

Is the fact that the HOA never sent me an invoice or late payment notice a LEGAL reason to dispute the claim?