1. An association may charge a unit’s owner reasonable fees to cover the costs of collecting any past due obligation. The Commission shall adopt regulations establishing the amount of the fees that an association may charge pursuant to this section.
2. The provisions of this section apply to any costs of collecting a past due obligation charged to a unit’s owner, regardless of whether the past due obligation is collected by the association itself or by any person acting on behalf of the association, including, without limitation, an officer or employee of the association, a community manager or a collection agency.
3. As used in this section:
(a) “Costs of collecting” includes any fee, charge or cost, by whatever name, including, without limitation, any collection fee, filing fee, recording fee, fee related to the preparation, recording or delivery of a lien or lien rescission, title search lien fee, bankruptcy search fee, referral fee, fee for postage or delivery and any other fee or cost that an association charges a unit’s owner for the investigation, enforcement or collection of a past due obligation. The term does not include any costs incurred by an association if a lawsuit is filed to enforce any past due obligation or any costs awarded by a court.
(b) “Obligation” means any assessment, fine, construction penalty, fee, charge or interest levied or imposed against a unit’s owner pursuant to any provision of this chapter or the governing documents.