Unsightly patio

Our HOA president has requested me to add a line to the "renter’s rules" about unsightly furniture on a patio. New residents have a wooden kitchen chair and what looks like an antique wooden sewing machine table on their patio. Here in SC it won't take long to look really bad. Our president is trying to keep up the appearances of our small complex. How much authority does the HOA have as to what furniture is allowed. The bylaws state no trash or clothes lines. But can the HOA tell someone to get rid of a patio full of dead plants, or interior furniture used and left outside. We don’t want it to look like some of the front porches we’ve seen with broken down recliners and toilets to sit on.

The rules are right out of the bylaws. We are not asking them to do anything outside of the rules everyone else is asked to live by. It is only a list of the most commonly broken.

There is no use if we have to go through the landlord, this unit is in forclosure. We have had a lien against him for non payment of maintenance fees, and continue to pay for his lessees’common utilities.

Well, first you can try to appeal to the tenants asking them nicely to remove the items (though they don't sound unsightly--yet). If the items aren't unsightly, you should wait till they are so that the tenants don't feel they're being harassed.

But if your rules only forbid trash and clotheslines, I'm afraid there's not much you can do. Our rules are much more specific about what may not be stored on balconies/patios/decks, e.g., bikes, exercise equipment, cleaning implements, etc., etc.

And, as Melissa points out, you only can--if rules are being broken-- you only can send warnings, etc. to the Owner, which isn't likely going to work in your case. Can you include the exact wording of your rule(s) on this topic?