Excuse me while I bang my head on this monitor..

Started by FionaC1 • 14 replies • 1711 views

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FionaC1 (Washington)
Posts: 93

Posted:

I am just posting this as I personally witnessed something today that just completely shocked me as a board memeber, homeowner etc.

Late afternoon tending to board biz in the clubhouse. It looks empty I am the only there and was really getting ready to head out to the pool which is in front of the clubhouse.

I looked out the window and saw a familiar renter with guests and her kids in tow. I watched her give her 4ish year old daughter a leg up to climb over the fence to let them in. Saying that, the planter in which the kid climbed on is full of large bore cactus, and our fence is on the list to repair as the bases of the gate have rusted through. It's unstable for gods sake.

Yes there was an exchange and the renter seemed to think this behavior was acceptable as she "forgot her keys". She also didn't the like the comment I made to her about willing to risk the safety of her child for her convenience ...she felt climbing the fence with cactus below was acceptable.

Her landlord is a long time friend neighbor of mine. I emailed and provided cctv video of the incident and forwarded it to the management company for record.

I am in awe of just how stupid some people are. It was insinuated I was over reacting and that her child was safe.. I am sure she is until she falls on that cactus plant and guess who'd be hitting up a lawyer. These people.. they walk amongst us.

Thank you I feel better and ya'll saved my computer monitor. ;/

GlenL (Ohio)
Posts: 5,491

Posted:

As Mama Gump said: "Stupid is as stupid does."

Studies show that 5 out of 4 people have problems with fractions

JM10 (California)
Posts: 503

Posted:

I'm afraid that it would be an acceptable risk until there is an unacceptable injury. I'm all for pointing out this problem. I hope you follow up with a warning in writing as a matter of record in case there is an accident.

Poor kid.

MikeR15 (Massachusetts)
Posts: 389

Posted:

Move the damn cactus before someone gets hurt! Duh!

BruceF1 (Connecticut)
Posts: 2,535

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By FionaC1 on 07/27/2013 8:31 PM
She also didn't the like the comment I made to her about willing to risk the safety of her child for her convenience ...she felt climbing the fence with cactus below was acceptable.

I am in awe of just how stupid some people are. It was insinuated I was over reacting and that her child was safe..

There are some people who just can't stand being criticized, even though they may deserve it. How could they possibly be wrong?

With some people, ego always outweighs intelligence.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MikeR15 on 07/28/2013 4:53 AM
Move the damn cactus before someone gets hurt! Duh!

Mike I think you missed the point.

The member had keys but forgot them and chose to climb over the cactus and unstable fence than to go back and get the keys. The members chose to put the child at risk rather than be inconvenienced by a few minutes (to go and get the keys) for their own forgetfulness.

Yes, I suppose that some might say it's the Associations fault for even having a lock on the pool gate or using natural landscaping to prevent trespassing and unauthorized use of the pool. I suppose that the cactus could be moved and the Association could instal razor wire on top of the fence.

Of course, that action might send the wrong message to potential buyers.

MichelleC7 (California)
Posts: 108

Posted:

I love the fact many homeowners and renters do not picknup on the fact we have Cctv. We posted a sign on the gate warning not to climb over. Cctv is 24 hour and yes...since the owner is the landlord I emailed him his tenants antics! Suppose they should be rather Embarrassed but instead I am the one over reacting. People are some of the dumbest animals I know!

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

I would add to the sign that you could pop up on "America's funniest videos" if caught... Why not make a bit of a profit out of the stupidity?

Former HOA President

MatthewW4 (Arizona)
Posts: 500

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MelissaP1 on 07/28/2013 10:12 AM
I would add to the sign that you could pop up on "America's funniest videos" if caught... Why not make a bit of a profit out of the stupidity?

A woman reportedly sued CNN for showing a video of her walking through a mall while on her cell phone. She was so focused on her phone that she failed to notice the fountain in front of her until she fell into it.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Someone sued "Google maps" because they saw their cat in the window when they looked up their house. Said it was an invasion of privacy. I say if you do something in public and it is caught on tape, you can't say much about it. Although we did not put cameras at our pool area due to privacy issues that may arise. We put them just at the entrances. It made people feel uncomfortable at the pool to think they were being taped in their bathing suits...

Former HOA President

KellyM3 (North Carolina)
Posts: 2,239

Posted:

Fiona,

My community had this identical problem until about two weeks ago and it involves a renter. She was helping her small child hop a six foot high fence for pool access, which IS dangerous to the HOA dues payers' pocketbook. It turns out the landlord hadn't thought it important to get her a pool keycard for keyless entry.

The blame will fall to your friend, the landlord, ultimately and that's who must be addressed. The landlord's business decision to rent to people who don't respect the property (or are not being served with access to the amenities as they expect in their lease) is affecting your entire community. Friends or not, your friend must regulate the tenant's behavior.

As a board president, I was obligated to find the property owner and assess how to best serve them. It turns out the landlord thought the pool wasn't locked and never did anything to help the tenant's family get pool access. Once the landlord retrieved her keycard and delegated to the tenant, the fence hopping ended. Had this been trespassers, we'd have called police.

FionaC1 (Washington)
Posts: 93

Posted:

Today I come home to an email from our property management to us. It was a complaint from the renter who let loose with some pretty comical claims, including that I yelled at her to leave the property that she was trespassing and had to leave now. She also claims I yelled at her a month ago asking who she was and that I have been harassing her. Part of the email complaint was that I was ont the phone to someone when she came back to the pool and I kept staring at her making her uncomfortable. She also stated. "I let my daughter over the fence as I couldn't be bothered going all the way upstairs to my unit for the key".

Jokes on her. If thought she was a trespasser, I wouldn't of been on the phone with HER LANDLORD when she left... that's who I was calling, pretty sad to pass on lies to put the attention elsewhere. This renter like a few other's we have had lately just do not understand what rules are, that we have CCTV and that they will be pulled on the carpet for antics.

CCTV video was sent to homeowner.. also with a time stamp of 15 minutes after incident. Odd how I knew who to send it too.

I almost wish to print out her letter and call her and the owner to executive session to hear her version in person.. and to hand her the proof of her lies. But the HOA is aware and do not beleive the liar that she is.. Hope her landlord can see through the BS.

FionaC1 (Washington)
Posts: 93

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By KellyM3 on 07/29/2013 6:27 AM
Fiona,

My community had this identical problem until about two weeks ago and it involves a renter. She was helping her small child hop a six foot high fence for pool access, which IS dangerous to the HOA dues payers' pocketbook. It turns out the landlord hadn't thought it important to get her a pool keycard for keyless entry.

The blame will fall to your friend, the landlord, ultimately and that's who must be addressed. The landlord's business decision to rent to people who don't respect the property (or are not being served with access to the amenities as they expect in their lease) is affecting your entire community. Friends or not, your friend must regulate the tenant's behavior.

As a board president, I was obligated to find the property owner and assess how to best serve them. It turns out the landlord thought the pool wasn't locked and never did anything to help the tenant's family get pool access. Once the landlord retrieved her keycard and delegated to the tenant, the fence hopping ended. Had this been trespassers, we'd have called police.

This renter admitted she forgot her key. She was at the gate with two other adults and her kids. She could of sent one of them to get what she forgot. It's lazy and freakishly scary that she would instruct her kid to climb over a cactus riddled flower bed to gain access to a pool in which she owned the keys too. It's damn scary.

JohnB26 (South Carolina)
Posts: 1,569

Posted:

.....our fence is on the list to repair as the bases of the gate have rusted through. It's unstable for gods sake.

?...on the list...?

hopefully the TOP of the list, since a pool, from a legal standpoint, is actually:

AN ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE ~ look it up

MatthewW4 (Arizona)
Posts: 500

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By JohnB26 on 07/30/2013 7:18 AM

.....our fence is on the list to repair as the bases of the gate have rusted through. It's unstable for gods sake.

?...on the list...?

hopefully the TOP of the list, since a pool, from a legal standpoint, is actually:

AN ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE ~ look it up

Good point!

If the fence is unstable and the bases are rusting through, someone has been neglecting at least a part of their job. Personal injury lawyers put their kids through law school on windfalls from cases like this.

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