Now I have to move

[mybabyphx]

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

You left a towel in the gate? AUGH! I'm surprised they're not going for the death penalty!

Yes, I admit, I left a towel in the gate to the pool. I only did it because I ran back to my condo real quick, and then right back. My boyfriend was sitting by the door waiting for me-at the pool. There was no sign up saying "Close the gate- or else!" I do understand their point of view, they don't want kids wandering into the pool. I understand, but couldn't they have given me a warning?

 

[lunasmom]

Is there a written HOA policy? That may be where you would find the fee establishment. technically when you signed the lease you are agreeing to the terms of living in that condo.

I would ask the landlord for a copy of the policy if and only if he threatens court procedures to get his petty $100. most likely they won't take action though...the court fees themselves would not be worth the $100.

 

[noludoru]

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

When my folks moved in here, a lovely woman came by to welcome them to the neighborhood and sign them up for the homeowner's association -- "Just a formality," she told them, "you're automatically members anyway."

It was a blatant lie, and luckily, my mom didn't fall for it. Turned out that membership was strictly voluntary -- but once they got your signature, you were legally bound by their petty little rules.

Holy crap. All I have to say to that. We had a nasty HOA where we used to live. Your house/anything near it could be the wrong shade of beige or white.

I'm glad you're moving--at first I was confused, and thought you lived in a house and had your own pool and someone was fining you for it..

 

[lunasmom]

yea some people are just downright nasty. the other day a "perfectionist" co-worker was emailing his HOA (I was in his office at the time so he told me about it). Basically he saw signs of a mouse OUTSIDE of his house. He was emailing his HOA contact saying that this issue needs to be addressed.

I'm trying to keep my mouth shut at work, but I just felt like saying "Why don't you get off your

butt and call pest control yourself?! Oh and next place you purchase you may want to look into buying a bubble!!"

I understand that HOAs can be good, but the more I hear about them, the more I think its just a bunch of anal-rentative people that have nothing else better in their lives.

 

[muttigreemom]

This is the same reason that when I bought a house I refused to go into a subdivision with a HOA.

Ok sure that means I'm stuck with a neighbor who thinks a rusty tractor is a lawn ornament... but I don't need someone telling me what shade of white, how high and how many gates my fence should have - that is, if I were allowed to have a fence at all! No. Thank. You. I'd much rather live with the rusty tractor that I almost never see anyway

But good on you for getting out of there... that just seems like overkill. I have full faith that you and your roommate will find a much better place

 

[mybabyphx]

UPDATE:

I still haven't paid those fines!

Our landlord brought over the letter that HOA sent him. The front page of the letter pretty much states that the landlord is supposed to evict ALL tenants, or he will get fines. Included with the letter was the list of rules/fines of the HOA (which no one EVER showed me before). It says right in the paper work that the home owner (which i am not) is held responsible for any or all fines. If they are not paid by the 20th of the month, you get more fines. They even have something in there if your fines exceed a certain amount, and are not paid, they can and will stop maintenance on your property.

In the letter that the landlord received, the very first page said that we were "regularly seen with glass products at the pool". Wow, that makes me sound like an alcoholic or something!

I wonder what their definition of 'regularly' is.

Plus, if you get $250 in fines from the HOA, you are kicked out of the community pool, tennis court, laundry facilities, and even from my assigned covered parking space. (Luckily, I only have $200 right now)

My boyfriend (John), our roommate (Jeremy), and I (Tiffany)... are moving! We don't know where, we don't know how... but we have to I guess. It's the best thing for us at the moment.

Thank you for everyone's support. I will definitely keep you updated!

 

[yosemite]

I realize it isn't very nice to have to move, but most of those places have rules in place for very good reasons. My brother got a very deep cut in the bottom of his foot when he was a kid because there was a piece of broken glass in the water and not visible to him. Most places that I've ever been to do not allow glass containers around the pool area.

If they don't impose fines or some form of "punishment", then people don't take the rules seriously and ignore them. I personally would be willing to pay a little more to live in a place like that where rules are enforced. I used to live in a beautiful apartment building in downtown Toronto - now it's a slum building and heartbreaking to see the degeneration.

It sounds as though this isn't the right kind of place for you folks anyway, so it's probably much better for you to move to a more appropriate place.

 

[adymarie]

Yikes - good luck with the move. Hopefully you will be able for find somewhere quickly and hopefully it will be better then where you are.