What would you do if your condo association did this???

Question

I live in a condo, with an association and president, and blah blah... well anyway, a few weeks ago, i put up my ghost and scarecrow and window clings, and about a week ago, the president came to the door and said someone complained and that the rules state, to only have deco. up 1 week before and down the day after! I took them down to find that a condo down the street had up deco. so i put mine back up, and of course the next day i got a "second notice".. so i took them back down! He never said anything about the window stuff so that is still up, today in the mail, i got a letter saying someone complained and they need to come down!!! For the health, safety,and wefare of everyone??? please tell me what you would do?

Answer 1

Sick your wombat on them... that is if you have one, of course... otherwise, tell them their rules are dumb, and if they don't leave you alone, you will start using your scarecrow for voodoo. They can't kill your festiveness!

Answer 2

I would pull out the rules. If it's what it states, its what it states, and you can't really do much about it except listen to them and if it really bothers you put the house up for sale (of course you might not want to tell them that's the reason you're moving!)

If the rules are not 100% clear, then you can consult an attorney, however that may not even be worth the aggravation.

I would make sure the neighbor down the street is being treated the same as you are, otherwise that may be a discrimination/favoritism case and then it could possibly be worth consulting with an attorney.

What is the punishment associated with disobeying the rules? Maybe if the decorations are that important to you and the punishment isn't severe you can just deal with that and keep the decorations.

Just think about how fun it will be come Christmas time!

Answer 3

Assume that the neighbor down the street got the same notice. If the Bylaws of the association state that you can only put them up a week in advance then you have no choice at the moment. Most people however like to put up christmas decorations in advance. I would ***** to high heaven if the assoc. did not enforce it equally. I would call the association president often if it were not being enforced and then perhaps file a formal complaint if I felt I were being singled out. I live in a condo and have been round with the association and the management company. I am so buying a house next time. You might wish to petition to have th bylaws changed by pointing that that "week before" also applies to christmas. Most people would side with you in light of that fact.
Any complaints you submit put them in writing and keep a copy. This is what they are doing to you. Document if your neighbor is not being cited for the same thing and submit that in writing to the association. Also, as in any political arena, you assoc. president has someone who wants his job. Find that person and be their best friend.

Answer 4

Here is a plan that worked for me. 1. Start communicating with other owners about your issues. Start making alliances. 2. Show leadership skills and desire to fix the problem, demonstrate that to your alliances. 3. Stay away from owners who just talk and no action. Find people who feel just as passionate about the issue as you do. You will need them when trying to bring them on board with you. 4. Attend every hall meeting and question every financial spending. Fully understand if the problem is in the books. 5. Run for a spot on a board and try to put as many of you people on the board. 6. Get a new managing company. You see Ivana, Condo Association is just like the government. After we took over the HOA we replaced every member on the board. Just in five year we fixed the Home Owners Association. Occupancy rate is now 90%. Property value is up 87%. We decreased the HOA fees by 10% and have kept it down for five years (it’s a great political move if you have a good treasure person). Crime rate is practically none relative to the other units around. This year we had to increase the association fees by 16% (new roof). The place looks so nice that more owners are buying for themselves. Before we took over the HOA our occupancy rate was 40%.

Answer 5

Why do people agree to these rules in the first place? When you join a condo association you are pretty much giving them the right to tell you how to live and what you can and can’t do with your property.

My advice, MOVE!

Answer 6

Next time, take dated photographs of the other "offenders". In the meantime, one week before Thanksgiving put up the ugliest tackiest collection of turkeys you can find in your window. You could even put up some pics of hunters killing them or something like that. Easter could get pretty tacky too.

Answer 7

I would comply and say no more, become active in the condo assn. and run for office, try to change the written rules. Be patient: Might take years, but if you are patient and you develop a following of supporters and friends in the complex, many things can happen.

Answer 8

if you belong to the condo association, you agreed to follow their rules... no matter how stupid they are... for now you should comply, but you might want to consider trying to get onto the board of the condo association to get the rules changed

Answer 9

Sell it and buy a house, so you can make your own rules.

Answer 10

SMALL CLAIMS COURT +/- 80.00 TO FILE,
SOME TIMES YOU HAVE TO SPANK THESE MONKEYS!
IF YOU HAVE A HOODLUM SON, GRANDSON, OR NEPHEW, TELL HIM/ THEM ABOUT HOW MUCH IT BOTHERS YOU, GET UP WALK AWAY & LEAVE A FIFTY ON THE TABLE!