Someone spabotaging resident's pool

Started by PauG • 6 replies • 1454 views

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PauG (Maryland)
Posts: 53

Posted:

A homeowner contacted the board of directors of my HOA to say someone is throwing sharp metal objects in their backyard pool (bottle caps, beer tabs, broken zippers). They put a cover on the pool when they are not using it, so someone is entering their yard and tossing this stuff in the pool.

Any suggestions on how to nab the perpetrator?

MikeS1
Posts: 668

Posted:

Linksys IP camera - Has built in motion sensor and emails you with video stream.

PauG (Maryland)
Posts: 53

Posted:

Good idea. Thanks.

I did suggest they try setting a video camera out on their deck and running it all n night. I don't know what else they can do.

MicheleD (Kentucky)
Posts: 4,491

Posted:

I'm curious as to why this is an HOA matter?

Certainly we don't like to hear of this sort of thing in our subdivision, but the only thing we, as the board, can do on behalf of the HOA is suggest the resident contact the police and file a vandalism complaint, and then contact someone regarding security.

Does your HOA provide security? Ours does not.

BradP (Kansas)
Posts: 2,640

Posted:

Pau:

Easiest and cheapest would be a motion light, those tend to scare people off. I do agree with the last poster that this is not an HOA matter. Rather it is a police matter.

PauG (Maryland)
Posts: 53

Posted:

You are right. It is not an HOA matter in the sense that the board can do nothing. However, our residents feel it is important to bring it to the attention of the community to keep us all alert. Residents have called the police, but they say there is nothing they can do unless they catch someone in the act. It has become frustrating.

However, what our board can do is send a letter of complaint to the owner that his renters are disturbing neighbors and violating covenant rules regarding trash and he is in violation of keeping up the exterior of the house, plus he is behind in association dues.

As more immigrants slip into this country, we will see more 'flophouses' and there will be nothing HOAs can do about them. However, city governments can because of livability codes. So what a HOA can do is contact city officials about the problem, fine the residents who dump trash, put a lien on the property if the owner doesn't pay his dues and take him to small claims court, send a contractor onto the property to do repairs if the homeowner is not compliant.

The neighbors are putting out a camera, get it on tape and show the police.

Jadedone4 (Virginia)
Posts: 495

Posted:

PauG, there are always more sides to an issue than we as a forum can identify, via the internet.

Yes, this not an HOA issue.

No the Board should NOT send out a letter to owner - because your original post did not specify that you were aware of WHO was committing the vandalism. The board CAN, and possibly SHOULD send out a letter to ALL residents informing them of their responsibilities in the community - gentle reminders are good mediums of communication.

If you are able to "ID" that it is the "immigrants who have slipped into this country," then you also have witnessed enough to swear out a valid complaint to your local police.

If it is "known" that the owner has not properly cared for the exterior of the house, then the board has options there to move the owner to compliance.

If you are aware of the "owner being delinquent in his/her dues," then you must also be on the board, or have insider's information on an owner's PERSONAL information.

Based on my last comment, and if verfied, then you do have a "method" for curing this situation with the owner, and not the tenant.

Check your governing documents, most if not all, address the situations that you "moved" to the jurisdiction of your local government. If they do not, then usually the local codes are effective toward resolutions. When you sign on the dotted line to live in an HOA, you become part of community in more ways than one; of which responsibility to act is one of them.

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