💬 Join us to post & get advice from 50,000 HOA & Condo leaders.

Create Free Account →

⚡ Takes 30 seconds

Already a member? Log in

DeniseA3 (Connecticut)
Posts: 3
Posted:
I hope someone can help me with some advise, sorry if this is long, but the last few months have been extremely hard.

My question involves a condominium located in the State of: Connecticut

This is the third time my unit has leaked, although this time with the Ice Dams it really did a great deal of damages (6,500.00 worth).

After contacting my association that the leaks appeared to be back last spring, I was told not to call them unless it was coming out in buckets. They no longer wanted any one in the complex to call them, but to drop a note in the box out front. In the fall I alerted them that the front gutters near the windows, where the leaking occurs, that when it rained, they over flowed like water falls. All they said was the gutters were cleaned...I was home the day the landscapers (why they hire them baffles me) and they did not clean the gutters on the upper level.

The units are townhouses, side by side, only 2 per section and 2 floors, plus attic...no basement. End of January I notice the carpet is wet in my living room. I thought with all the snow, it was coming in from around the foundation. The next day I hear dripping coming from the first floor. I go down to find water coming in the front of the unit, running down the walls, ceilings, across the windows. Since it was 10 PM at nite, I waited until the next morning to notify the HOA. By Morning the water was now coming out the bedroom above the living room. And then I noticed along the top roof line in my second bedroom it was leaking there. I wrote the HOA to tell them, and said if I don't hear from you by 5 PM I will be calling them. I didn't hear from them, so I called. The head of our HOA should not be president. Things are falling apart at the seams.

The HOA told me they would contact the insurance company and a roof person. It was 3 days later that the roof person finally arrived. So for 3 days, my unit leaked, and leaked,. The HOA should have called someone to soak up the water, they did nothing. The roof contractor cleared out an ice dam 20 feet long by 18" deep, as well as a few years worth of sludge and leaves. (Thought they cleaned them, hmm). When he came back the second time, he said, this has been leaking for sometime. A week later the insurance adjuster came looked at the damages. The damages were to living room & master bedroom walls, ceilings, carpets and in the second bedroom, walls and ceiling, which also effected the hall. The adjust tells me they were going to replace everything but the bedroom carpet, that they would have them cleaned, now they had been sitting wet for over a week, the smell was unbearable and the HOA still had not come over and looked. I said so when do you think you will send someone to clean it...he replied...after he finishes doing the claim, which when asked said 2 weeks. I replied, then no, you will replace it, that is too long to let it sit.

When all was done, they ended up covering the carpet in the master, living room, hall downstairs and stairs as they all matched. However, it connects to the hall and 2nd bedroom. So being the nice person I am, I went ahead and just figured I would pay to finish the areas not included...stupid me! Other people I consulted said, NO they should pay for it since it all matches.

My HOA had the check and paper work for over a week and a half before contacting me. Now the carpets are still wet and I am living in stench. And loss of use of my living room for a month. WHen she finally called, I asked do you have contractors..she said no, that I should contact some and get quotes. A week later she calls to tell me she is sending a contractor, never heard from them. So I proceeded per the adjuster sent the quotes to him. The adjuster was off by $1000 on costs, which he said his was just a estimate and all would be amended at the end.

In the meantime, I have sent everything to the HOA, waiting to hear back to get this started...now another month has gone by. When she does call, she has no clue what she is saying. Tells me if all they give me is $1000 for carpet that's all I get...well according to my insurance co...they are responsible to put it back the way it was. That it was not covered under my insurance as it was not my fault. After not hearing from the HOA, I consult with the adjuster to get the work started and he gives me the OK to go. So I go place the order for the carpet, and pay the bill. I drop the bill for the HOA to pay me back...I have not seen a dime. The HOA calls me the day the contractor is here and says she is just going to give me all the money and I can pay the bills but that once she gives me a check that's all I get. There is no way the contractors can tell how much damages are inside the wall until they open them. So I contact the Adjuster and he says, of course, it's not a done deal, that the money sent was just to get the work started and that any additional expenses to submit them. The HOA doesn't seem to get this! On the advise of my insurance, the adjuster, another adjuster who is a family friend with a different company and a friend who is a lawyer, all said, the HOA should write the checks and pay the contractor, painter and pay me for the carpet.

It's been 5 weeks, I have not seen a dime...and the contractor is finished, and I told him, bill the HOA...and he has not seen a dime...the painter will be done this week...my guess is he will not see a any money.

After living in stench for 90 days, having to pack my place, lug my items down stairs, put them in storage, purchase boxes and packing material, live in one small room, loss of my living room and I am asthmatic to boot. This also ruined a small bissell I had use to suck up water, and 8 blinds which the insurance is not covering. I really don't want to have to take the HOA to court but it sure as hell is looking like that...any advise? I am starting to think that there is some co-mingling of funds! We don't have a management company, I think we should have one!

CT does have that new law that went into effect in July 2010 about common property so I know this is their responsibility. One thing the contractor said, I should have them rip the whole front of the unit off to see if there is rotting wood from leaking so much.

HELP!
JeanneK3 (Maryland)
Posts: 562
Posted:
Denise:
You need to file a complaint against the association with your state's insurance commission.
Jeanne
SusanW1 (Michigan)
Posts: 5,202
Posted:
Get the contractor's "opinions" in writing for your files.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059
Posted:
Denise,

In addition to contacting the HOA I'm glad to hear that you have contacted your own insurance company. Your insurance company would have taken care of most of the issues and then fought with the HOA's insurance company on your behalf. It's like being in a vehicle accident that wasn't your fault. You have the choice of working with your insurance company or dealing directly with the other persons company.

It appears that you are doing the correct things (hope you are keeping a paper trail). You should see if your insurance company will help you speak with the other insurance company. You should also submit the bills directly to the HOA's insurance company and just send a copy to the HOA (for their records). Inform the HOA's insurance company that the contractors have not been paid and ask that they pay the contractors directly.

If this doesn't work, you may need to consult an attorney to see what other options are available.

Hope this helps

Tim
SteveM9 (Massachusetts)
Posts: 3,699
Posted:
The gutter cleaning doesn't really matter when it comes to ice dams, as most ice dams form before the gutters. As for the rug, your really lucky they will even replace it. Most condos, the rug is the owner responsibility. So the HOA would cover what it is responsible for and your insurance would cover what it is responsible for.

Keep talking with your own insurance company to get this resolved. They may even reimburse you for a hotel or rental until this is fixed.

Ice dams were a huge problem this year.
DeniseA3 (Connecticut)
Posts: 3
Posted:
Thanks for your responses. I am at the end of my stress limit and with my health issues just making things worse. I found out this HOA board person uses tactics that are unprofessional. I just found out I was not the only one.

I will be calling back my insurance company in the morning. I documented everything. The roofer that cleared the ice dam, said the water had no where to go because the gutter had over a gallon of sludge in there.

My insurance company is the one who said I was being too nice on the carpets, and anything that matches, should be replaced.

I had no where to go, so while the contractors were working in here I was living in my place. They were so nice, I could not have asked for better. And they did a super job on the repairs and painting. The carpets will be installed this week. I feel bad that they are now stuck in this mess now as well. I have been without my living room since the leak, almost 4 months and for the last 6 weeks my other two rooms are packed in boxes in my garage...I am basically living like a hermit with some clothing a TV and my computer.

Still no money has been paid to the contractors. And I am still owed the money I put out 5 weeks ago for the carpet. As we well know, no carpet place is going to bill my HOA. If you go to Lowes, they would laugh at me if I told them that.

I'll keep you posted. I just hope I don't have to take her to court.

Thank You again for your support!!
DeniseA3 (Connecticut)
Posts: 3
Posted:
Thanks for your help.

After going rounds with the HOA insurance and my agents help. I was able to win my case of negligence and also the HOA Insurance looked into why the HOA president who had the money since February was not paying the contractors. I have finally received a check for the invoices and the contractors were paid. Weeks of non-stop calls with them wanting to be paid caused me so much stress as well as making me look like they were not going to get paid. The insurance company, warned her that if she did not pay the bills they would file fraud charges. Poof next day the check instantly appeared in my mail box, crunched in a ball. Then they proceeded to find that due to the gutters not being maintained, paid out on my remaining losses. They also found out she put another units roof leak repairs on my claim.

Now to see if they take care of our termite issues thru the complex, also the gutters still have not been cleaned properly, while the one where my leak happened was cleaned by the roofer, the others were not taken care of. I also need to contact the Post Office to see if it is legal for her to access our mailboxes, as the check with put in there with no postage. I always thought, only the owner (me) and the post office were allowed access.

Thanks again for all your help.
TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059
Posted:
Denise,

Congratulations on getting your issue resolved.

As for the placing the check in your mailbox without postage, technically it should not have been done. I suspect that the President just wanted to get the check to you as quick as they could without actually having to talk to you. This appears to be a minor issue that probably isn't really worth the hassle you will have to go through. My advice is to just be happy that the issue was resolved to your satisfaction.

Again, I'm happy things worked out for you.

Tim

🎯 You've read this entire discussion

Join the conversation with 50,000 HOA & Condo Leaders:

  • ✓ Ask follow-up questions
  • ✓ Share your experience
  • ✓ Get expert advice
  • ✓ Access 350,000 discussions
Create Free Account →

⚡ Takes 30 seconds

Already a member? Log in here