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Post Your HOA Horror Stories

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by ima_drummer2k, Jan 11, 2018.

  1. Daddy Long Legs

    Daddy Long Legs H- Town Harden

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    So what breakfast taco places do you prefer over taco deli?

    You must stop running from that question.
     
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  2. Sajan

    Sajan Member

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    Every year it seems like my parents get a letter about mold/mildew on the side of my house. I wait for the 2nd letter and then I spray the mildew remover from home depot.

    OTOH, there was a foreclosed home 2 houses down from me. No one would maintain the yard! The grass was like 4ft high. Weeds everywhere. What did the HOA do about it? Nothing it seemed like for a year. I think someone bought the house now.
     
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  3. Cold Hard

    Cold Hard Member

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    HOAs have an understandable purpose, but they're only as good as the people in them. All it takes is one busybody a-hole to turn the HOA into a piece of s**t, leading to horror stories. And I suspect that if that busybody has a personal dislike towards a particular resident(s), then he or she may intentionally single that resident's home out, while being more lenient on neighbors.
     
  4. Buck Turgidson

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    So what you're saying is: what did that notorious jerk ima_drummer do to piss off his resident HOA busybody?
     
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  5. ima_drummer2k

    ima_drummer2k Contributing Member

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    That's exactly it. It would be one thing if you had piles of trash on the side of your house, but these cans (1 trash, 1 recycle) are so big that it's impossible for them to be full capacity if they're emptied twice a week. Ironically, they were supplied by the company our HOA picked for trash pickup, so we have no choice but to use them.

    Like someone else said, I've had my cans in the same spot for years....why is it all the sudden a problem?

    I haven't thoroughly examined my HOA bylaws recently because, well.....I have a life :) Assuming they are within their rights, that doesn't make it any less petty.

    Look, I actually appreciate a good HOA. Who wants to live in a neighborhood with outgrown lawns, broken down cars or boats parked in every driveway?

    We have one of the nicest yards on the street frankly. It's mowed edged and swept every Friday. Hedges always trimmed perfectly. We always park our cars in the garage, no mold on our siding etc. It's just hard to believe that a couple of trash cans on the side of the house are really bringing down property values. Hell, I just got our latest assessment and I know that for a fact......
     
  6. Nook

    Nook Member

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    Just put your damn trash cans in the garage. You have bigger issues to worry about like stray grocery carts.
     
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  7. Fyreball

    Fyreball Contributing Member

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    I live on a lake, with one side of my property being adjacent to a dry reserve meant for lake overflow and such. We have a strict rule that any fences along property lines had to be 6'-0" high, unless there was a legitimate concern for safety (like being adjacent to a public space) in which case an 8'-0" fence would be allowed. Of course, like any normal person, I assumed that the side of my property that was adjacent to this 5-acre open dry reserve was considered public space, so I had an 8'-0" fence installed along that side. I got about 5 notices (read that as threats) saying that I was in violation of the deed, and that if I did not "lower" the fence to 6'-0", they would come onto my property and remove the fence at my expense.

    Needless to say, I wrote an email that basically said, "If I see anyone on my property that isn't somebody I invited myself, they will be shot on sight." That was the last I've ever heard about the fence. Morons.
     
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  8. bobrek

    bobrek Politics belong in the D & D

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    The problem HOAs have is that if they let something go for one, they have to let it go for all. The first thing I would do is ask the HOA which bylaw I am violating. If there isn't one, then tell them (in a nice way) to stuff it. If there is a bylaw and you really want to push it, go to the next meeting and make your case.
     
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  9. sammy

    sammy Contributing Member

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    HOA's are pretty much worthless.. at least for small communities. Ours is 25 homes..they don't do crap.
     
  10. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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    Lots of excuses and deflection in this post...

    I guess the HOA should be happy you're using the trashcans for their intended purpose instead of giant kick drums.
     
  11. K LoLo

    K LoLo Member

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    Don't live in an HOA, and I'm pretty glad about it.

    I get the point, and sometimes I wish I did because there's a few people in my neighborhood who could use a lesson in yard maintenance or boat storage (or jetski and snow mobile storage for that matter - yes, they have snow mobiles). But, about 85% of the people keep up their yards and homes, and I'm not right next to ones who don't.

    If I want to replace a fence, I do. Paint the house? No problem. Plus, no fees. Whenever I think about moving into a nicer home, I just think about stuff like this thread, and then improve my own.
     
  12. Bob Barker 007

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    Juan in a Million, which I will not be sharing with my neighbors from New Jersey.
     
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  13. Surfguy

    Surfguy Contributing Member

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    If we didn't have HOAs, then who would dole out those "best flower bed" awards? My parents got it last year. I was LMAO. I think they have to rotate the award eventually to each house because they run out of houses eventually.

    I don't have a HOA in my neighborhood. I would probably be in trouble if I did. I removed all my trees from the front and back yard because they all shed too much. I was constantly cleaning up acorns and leaves. Newsflash...acorns SUCK and picking them up sucks worse! I couldn't keep my pool clean. My yard wasn't getting enough sun and the grass was suffering for all the shade and shedding. My front yard has a big blank spot where a tree used to be. I haven't gotten to having new sod installed yet in the front. I spent enough having the trees removed. I'll probably get to it this year. I'm sure the neighbors probably don't like my yard. My house also needs a paint job. But, I've spent so much money on upkeep of my home. Sh_t is constantly breaking. I just replaced my HVAC, water heater, floors, etc. and fence before that 5 years back. F**KING HOUSES!!!!
     
    #33 Surfguy, Jan 11, 2018
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2018
  14. conquistador#11

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    For the holidays they wanted only blue lights for decorations, I kidd you not. We decided not to put any up.
     
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  15. Blatz

    Blatz Contributing Member

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    When I lived in Spring I got a letter stating I needed to fix my fence. I was fine with that as I was already planning on rebuilding the whole thing and had already priced materials needed. A few days go by and I have all the fence boards, 2x4's, 4x4s and nails delivered to my house. Home Depot stacked everything on the right side of my driveway under my basketball goal. I didn't get started on it right away because it rained one day and my buddy couldn't bring is trailer to haul off the trash the next.

    After I started rebuilding it I get another letter. This one says 3 violation

    1. Fence needs repairing ( second notice)
    2.. Trashcans can be seen behind the gate
    3. Can not store lumber/construction material on driveway

    I couldn't believe it, the lumber/construction material was there to rebuild the fence and you could see the trashcans because that's were I started taking the old fence down 3 days before. I must have pissed somebody on the restriction committee off.
     
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  16. JunkyardDwg

    JunkyardDwg Contributing Member

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    I've gotten notices for not enough shrubbery in the front lawn. First it was that my shrubs didn't completely shield the foundation of the house from the street. Then it was because I didn't have two rows of shrubbery.

    I've gotten several notices about my trash cans not being put up same day. 98% of the time I do, but the only few times I forgot, bam, letter. And one was for being one day late putting the bins behind the fence. I swear the person on the compliance committee must've been staking me out.

    First notice I got after a month after we moved in was for my basketball goal. We're not allowed to have chain nets, but only white or red/white/blue. An almost new, not rusty at all, chain net is not appropriate. When I asked why they couldn't give me a good explanation.

    HOAs do serve a purpose, but sometimes they are absolutely bonkers.
     
  17. Mr. Brightside

    Mr. Brightside Contributing Member

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    I installed a urinal on the side of my house. I received a letter a couple of weeks later saying I needed to put a wall up so the urinal couldn't be seen from the street. They threatened to sue, so I said I would counter sue since I get free legal representation from my company. Eventually, I built a wall. I then moved out of the home about a year later.
     
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  18. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

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    That must've been one demonic-looking neighborhood. The only thing worse would be those houses that decide to decorate their house and trees in nothing but red lights making it look like Satan lived there or something.
     
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  19. codell

    codell Contributing Member

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    Sounds like it's one of your neighbors not the HOA that has the problem. They are likely busting the HOA's chops over enforcement.
     
  20. K LoLo

    K LoLo Member

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    I find the bolded part bonkers. I'm not sure I'd make it in an HOA community.
     

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