LindaW3 (Washington)
Posts: 1
Posts: 1
Posted:
My husband and I bought an investment property/home for our children last Nov 2006 and they moved in.
When we were at the closing, there was mention of a HOA, but no paperwork and certainly no presence of a HOA.
After about a month or two, there was no mail, and because there was no mailbox in the yard, my son thought he had to buy one and install it in order to receive mail. None of us have ever had any experience with HOA before. So he installed the mailbox and waited for mail to be delivered. The mail person came to the door and informed him that there was a common area mailbox and that he could get his mail there. We didnât even know where the common area mailbox was located. Finally my son found the mailbox and realized that a key was needed to get the mail out. So we contacted the Escrow company who didnât know anything about a mailbox key, so she contacted the previous owner; he stated that he knew nothing of a mailbox key and that he had purchased the house site-unseen and after his renters moved out he sold the house.
We then went to a hardware store and purchased a new lock for the mailbox, popped the old one out and installed the new one. Problem solved.
We recently received a statement for HOA dues and I called the phone number on the statement to ask what the dues where for since there had been no presence up to this point, we had no information about HOA.
A person who identified herself as the bookkeeper answered the phone, I asked her what the dues where for. She said she didnât know, so I asked her who would know and how could I get a copy of the By-laws? She stated that she didnât know that either. I asked who got the money and she said that the Treasurer did. I asked if there were other officers and she said she didnât know. So I asked her to have the Treasurer call me so that I could ask her for a copy of the By-laws. She said that she didnât have the Treasurers phone number and had to wait until she called her. So I said please give her the message next time she called. I stated several times that I was not yelling at her about this, that I was just upset about the situation. She said okay and we hung-up. The next day a female called me without identifying herself and was yelling at me and I finally figured out who it was I was trying to ask her questions about the HOA and she continued to talk over me, not allowing me to communicate with her at all. She said that I didnât have the right to yell at the bookkeeper about the key for the mailbox, that it wasnât their problem. I finally got to say something, so I asked her for information about the HOA, she said she didnât have to provide me anything that I should get a hold of the Real Estate agent, Escrow and ask them for it, when I said they didnât have any information and this is why I was asking her she stated that is why we paid Title Insurance. I didnât understand why she was saying this and told her this, she was barely speaking English and I donât know what language it is. I called her a name and she hung up. I realize that calling her a name was not very civilized, but she just plain angered me so much, I couldnât think straight.
Next thing I know she is over at the house yelling at the kids about cleaning up the mess they had made and that she was going to hire someone to come and clean the mess if they didnât and bill the owner.
I had already chewed the kids out for making such a mess of the property the week before when my husband and I had visited on our way somewhere else. We were discussing with them the best time to bring the truck over so they could load it up and we could take it to the dump, we decided to do it the weekend of June 30, 2007.
Since these arrangements have been made, the Treasurer has been at the house twice and once she brought someone else with her to mediate. I am not getting the complete story from my kids, and if she wontâ meet with me or call me, I donât see a way to resolve this. She hasnât identified herself during all this time so no one knows her name or even where she lives or if she lives in the neighborhood. My children keep telling her (I donât even know her name, and neither do the kids), to call me. She says she doesnât have to and that this is what the money is for, too clean up after people like them.
I told my kids to tell her that if she steps one foot on our property and tries to have anything taken by herself or anyone else they should immediately call the police and then me. She also is claiming that my son is riding some go-cart around the complex and annoying all of the neighbors. He doesnât even own a go-cart, but she doesnât listen when they try to explain this.
I donât mind paying dues if I know what for, there is no communication with her and I donât know how to resolve this issue. I think she is harassing my kids and now they will not be able to have a place to live anymore because she is making their lives miserable. Since this is part of the reason we purchased the house and she is ruining that, I think we should sue her for interfering with use of our property and making my kids leave their home.
If anyone has any suggestions, please tell me
When we were at the closing, there was mention of a HOA, but no paperwork and certainly no presence of a HOA.
After about a month or two, there was no mail, and because there was no mailbox in the yard, my son thought he had to buy one and install it in order to receive mail. None of us have ever had any experience with HOA before. So he installed the mailbox and waited for mail to be delivered. The mail person came to the door and informed him that there was a common area mailbox and that he could get his mail there. We didnât even know where the common area mailbox was located. Finally my son found the mailbox and realized that a key was needed to get the mail out. So we contacted the Escrow company who didnât know anything about a mailbox key, so she contacted the previous owner; he stated that he knew nothing of a mailbox key and that he had purchased the house site-unseen and after his renters moved out he sold the house.
We then went to a hardware store and purchased a new lock for the mailbox, popped the old one out and installed the new one. Problem solved.
We recently received a statement for HOA dues and I called the phone number on the statement to ask what the dues where for since there had been no presence up to this point, we had no information about HOA.
A person who identified herself as the bookkeeper answered the phone, I asked her what the dues where for. She said she didnât know, so I asked her who would know and how could I get a copy of the By-laws? She stated that she didnât know that either. I asked who got the money and she said that the Treasurer did. I asked if there were other officers and she said she didnât know. So I asked her to have the Treasurer call me so that I could ask her for a copy of the By-laws. She said that she didnât have the Treasurers phone number and had to wait until she called her. So I said please give her the message next time she called. I stated several times that I was not yelling at her about this, that I was just upset about the situation. She said okay and we hung-up. The next day a female called me without identifying herself and was yelling at me and I finally figured out who it was I was trying to ask her questions about the HOA and she continued to talk over me, not allowing me to communicate with her at all. She said that I didnât have the right to yell at the bookkeeper about the key for the mailbox, that it wasnât their problem. I finally got to say something, so I asked her for information about the HOA, she said she didnât have to provide me anything that I should get a hold of the Real Estate agent, Escrow and ask them for it, when I said they didnât have any information and this is why I was asking her she stated that is why we paid Title Insurance. I didnât understand why she was saying this and told her this, she was barely speaking English and I donât know what language it is. I called her a name and she hung up. I realize that calling her a name was not very civilized, but she just plain angered me so much, I couldnât think straight.
Next thing I know she is over at the house yelling at the kids about cleaning up the mess they had made and that she was going to hire someone to come and clean the mess if they didnât and bill the owner.
I had already chewed the kids out for making such a mess of the property the week before when my husband and I had visited on our way somewhere else. We were discussing with them the best time to bring the truck over so they could load it up and we could take it to the dump, we decided to do it the weekend of June 30, 2007.
Since these arrangements have been made, the Treasurer has been at the house twice and once she brought someone else with her to mediate. I am not getting the complete story from my kids, and if she wontâ meet with me or call me, I donât see a way to resolve this. She hasnât identified herself during all this time so no one knows her name or even where she lives or if she lives in the neighborhood. My children keep telling her (I donât even know her name, and neither do the kids), to call me. She says she doesnât have to and that this is what the money is for, too clean up after people like them.
I told my kids to tell her that if she steps one foot on our property and tries to have anything taken by herself or anyone else they should immediately call the police and then me. She also is claiming that my son is riding some go-cart around the complex and annoying all of the neighbors. He doesnât even own a go-cart, but she doesnât listen when they try to explain this.
I donât mind paying dues if I know what for, there is no communication with her and I donât know how to resolve this issue. I think she is harassing my kids and now they will not be able to have a place to live anymore because she is making their lives miserable. Since this is part of the reason we purchased the house and she is ruining that, I think we should sue her for interfering with use of our property and making my kids leave their home.
If anyone has any suggestions, please tell me