Building beyond property lines

I have been there and done that many times. Sometimes the fine route works, but he or she gets a hearing. What is your plan if they win at the hearing? We send them one or two letters, then hire an attorney. We will sue for unauthorized construction in violation of the Covenants, and we will also seek an injunction or penalties for the trespass. Under out Covenants any costs of the lawsuit are added to the assessment of the lot. I have found directing them to that portion of the Covenants in one of the warning letters sometimes gets their attention. Sometimes hiring a lawyer and sending them a new assessment invoice arriving a day or two after the attorney's letter does is needed. Only 2 or 3 of them stuck by their guns and made it to court, where they lost of course.

We saved ourselves a whole lot of headache and paperwork a few years ago by issuing and publishing a blanket resolution allowing homeowners to replace windows and sidings and old sheds with like materials when done for maintenance without getting Architectural approval first. As long as it stays inside their property lines, looks good, and maintains property values, all is well. A brown siding can be replaced with a tan one or even a white one and we don't care. They will however hear from us if they substitute a pink with blue polka dot siding for a brown one as it isn't like on like.