Can they do this

You should have bylaws that would cover this and answer your questions.. I would check them out.. and talk to the assoc president..

Inform the homeowners association about this attorney's office charging a fee. If they were hired for collecting on your debt, they will pull your file back.

By laws, you were required to pay the attorney's fees only if you had paid them for the account. Since you directly paid to the homeowners association, you don't have to pay the fees to the attorney.

Did you collect the "paid in full" letter from the homeowners association?

no, I did not get a reciept. So should I contact the homeowners association? Should I call the attorney? What should I do? Thanks for the help

If you live in a community where you either had to sign a homeowners association agreement or agreed to deed restrictions covering the issue of collecting dues, those documents may contain contractual language determining whether or not you agreed to pay for collection fees. Beyond that, check your state laws.

Contact the homeowners assc. for a start, and ask them. Homeowners asscs. are a very bad idea, because generally they are not regulated and are not held accountable to any agency.