MichelleM4 (Michigan)
Posts: 19
Posts: 19
Posted:
Looking for some advice on how to deal with this situation. The HOA president from the subdivision adjacent to ours keeps showing up announced in our backyard. I have found him in my backyard at least 1-2 times a month since May. For context, our subdivision shares a common property line with a neighboring sub. My lot and two others back up to the neighboring subdivision. All lots have about a 20 foot wide stretch of woodlands (unprotected) between the houses.
Back in May, my husband had some rotting trees cleared from our side of the woodland (cherry trees rotting from the inside that were close to falling down). This prompted the neighbors behind us to send their HOA president over and all yards were surveyed. The hired a surveying company who installed 4 foot high flouresent orange stakes in the ground to mark the properties. The surveyor's markings clearly indicated that the trees we removed were well within our property. However, the neighboring homeowners and their HOA still requested a meeting with myself and my husband to "walk the property line."
They wanted to meet at 9PM (in Michigan) - pretty much dusk. The HOA president came over with a beer in hand. They proceeded to tell us they didn't agree with removing the trees because it affected their cover, and now they could "see more of our house." As our sub is about 15 years newer than their's, it is my opinion that the neighbors were just irritated that we (and our neighbors) decided to clean up the brush on our property. As far as I am concerned, it is none of their business if we removed trees on our own property.
In any case, since May, I have seen the HOA president in my backyard on multiple occasions. I have no idea what he is doing, or why he feels he has the authority to trespass on my property. When questioned, he gives some flimsy excuse. It is very bizarre to me that he walks (on our side of the lot line) through the woods. Last night was the final straw.
I had let my dog out into the yard (she has free reign of our yard). I heard what I thought was deer coming through the woods, but when I looked out, it was the HOA President and his dog in my backyard. By now, they were standing in my backyard, looking at my house. It is important to note that I have a really shallow backyard - only 18 feet from the back of the house to the wooded strip. I called out to him and asked if I could help him with something. He said no, he was admiring my deck. I found that very odd - why wouldn't you ring my doorbell if you wanted to look at my deck? Then he made some comment about how the grass in my backyard filled in well. I found the whole thing creepy. He then turned an proceeded to walk through the backyard of my two neighbors until he was able to get on the sidewalk (walking through the mulch and that runs along their backyard).
It makes me very uneasy that this guy just "pops up" in my backyard. He is not even my HOA President - why does he think he is entitled to enter my property? If there is something he wants to see, relative to the common lot line, why doesn't he look at it from his subdivision's side? And, to bring his dog onto my property - what if his dog harmed mine, b/c I had no clue he was roaming my lot? I find his habit of wandering onto my property boardering on harassment.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this situation? Should I ask him to refrain from entering my property without my permission? Should I file a tresspassing report? Should I put all of this in writing, so he no longer has an excuse (and I can document what I have asked him)? I am just tired of not having privacy on my own lot.
Back in May, my husband had some rotting trees cleared from our side of the woodland (cherry trees rotting from the inside that were close to falling down). This prompted the neighbors behind us to send their HOA president over and all yards were surveyed. The hired a surveying company who installed 4 foot high flouresent orange stakes in the ground to mark the properties. The surveyor's markings clearly indicated that the trees we removed were well within our property. However, the neighboring homeowners and their HOA still requested a meeting with myself and my husband to "walk the property line."
They wanted to meet at 9PM (in Michigan) - pretty much dusk. The HOA president came over with a beer in hand. They proceeded to tell us they didn't agree with removing the trees because it affected their cover, and now they could "see more of our house." As our sub is about 15 years newer than their's, it is my opinion that the neighbors were just irritated that we (and our neighbors) decided to clean up the brush on our property. As far as I am concerned, it is none of their business if we removed trees on our own property.
In any case, since May, I have seen the HOA president in my backyard on multiple occasions. I have no idea what he is doing, or why he feels he has the authority to trespass on my property. When questioned, he gives some flimsy excuse. It is very bizarre to me that he walks (on our side of the lot line) through the woods. Last night was the final straw.
I had let my dog out into the yard (she has free reign of our yard). I heard what I thought was deer coming through the woods, but when I looked out, it was the HOA President and his dog in my backyard. By now, they were standing in my backyard, looking at my house. It is important to note that I have a really shallow backyard - only 18 feet from the back of the house to the wooded strip. I called out to him and asked if I could help him with something. He said no, he was admiring my deck. I found that very odd - why wouldn't you ring my doorbell if you wanted to look at my deck? Then he made some comment about how the grass in my backyard filled in well. I found the whole thing creepy. He then turned an proceeded to walk through the backyard of my two neighbors until he was able to get on the sidewalk (walking through the mulch and that runs along their backyard).
It makes me very uneasy that this guy just "pops up" in my backyard. He is not even my HOA President - why does he think he is entitled to enter my property? If there is something he wants to see, relative to the common lot line, why doesn't he look at it from his subdivision's side? And, to bring his dog onto my property - what if his dog harmed mine, b/c I had no clue he was roaming my lot? I find his habit of wandering onto my property boardering on harassment.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this situation? Should I ask him to refrain from entering my property without my permission? Should I file a tresspassing report? Should I put all of this in writing, so he no longer has an excuse (and I can document what I have asked him)? I am just tired of not having privacy on my own lot.