HOA

My Homeowners Association continually mismanages the HOA dues, sending out letters of past due and threats to take liens against our residences, loses payments, holds payments for weeks/months, attempts to correct and then again accuses the homeowners of not complying! Unfortunately, there are not enough homeowners to take over the association. I've contacted the magistrate who relays the filing fees would come out of my own pocket to include service of process. I've spoken to an attorney at work in our realestate department who concurred w/ the magistrate's comments. The only way to correct this is to obtain copies of my checks w/ front/back at my cost of $3 per check for the past year. They are also holding checks and refuse to cash!

Now, I'm tired of this B.S. I want action. I've drafted a letter indicating the payments (check no., issue date, deposit/transaction date), previous phone calls, and letters. I'm very tempted to send this letter every week until corrected and possibly send a complaint to the state Labor, License and Regulation office referencing the realtor's license no. in whose name the HOA dues are sent.

Have any of ya'll had to deal w/ an HOA that did not comply, and if so, what did you and other homeowners do to correct the records?

Thanks gals!

Mustang, our HOS is nothing like what you've described. I've served on the board and honestly, everything they do is for the betterment of the neighborhood. Our association is very busy because we've had frat housesin the past (now gone) and we are forever having doctors, lawyers, etc. encroaching our boundaries.

Do you know nayone on the board so you can get an inside scoop? It doesn't sound too good.

Thank you gals. I called the HOA and they changed locations/addresses, w/out telling anyone! They actually sent me a letter and corrected my account.

Mustang, I'm going to our HOA meeting tonight and expect a rumble if not an all out brawl. I think it's funny. People complain about the dumbest things! And, I'm sure the 9th floor couple will be there with a long list of complaints. Bring em' on, baby!

I've only ever lived in one home that had a HOA. I must be a rebel because it goes against my grain for someone to tell me what color I can paint my front door and how long my garbage can can sit out.

It's not that I left the can out or painted the door a shocking color...I guess I've lived in small town America and in the country too long to enjoy that kind of control.

There was no blood shed or brawling at the meeting but the dumb things people complain about. One younger guy said we were all boring because we didn't have get-togethers. They told him to plan one. One wanted to install a party deck on the top of the building. That would be right above our heads. That didn't fly. I just loved sitting there and listening. It was amazing.

Anne, the good thing about HOA is it stops people from trashing up a neighborhood or building. That way, you won't have a neighbor with an old car up on blocks in his driveway or people with trash in their yard. They really do serve a good purpose at times.

Here where I am a couple of years ago the management tried to tell us we needed their permission before painting our homes and needed them to pick the colors. Fat chance, there is no HOA in here and we just ignored them and eventually they stopped trying to control things/people. I hate HOA's for the most part it is just a few feeling the power to control so many and to think that people pay them to do it...very strange!!!