💬 Join us to post & get advice from 50,000 HOA & Condo leaders.

Create Free Account →

⚡ Takes 30 seconds

Already a member? Log in

BonnieG1 (Nebraska)
Posts: 1,186
Posted:
One of our former Presidents called me to today to tell me she saw someone's daughter get out of a cab with a duffel bag. This former President thought she was doing me a favor be letting me know when the resident's daughter came as we have a 30 day limit for visitors. Basically, I could care less that this lady's daughter came to visit and was frustrated that it was even reported to me.

The resident has a lease agreement with the owner that limits visitor to 7 days so if this daughter overstays her welcome I would just need to call the owner.

But as I said before I don't care when our resident/owners have visitors for a few days or even three or four weeks. I do not want to be called every time someone comes to visit. I refuse to be that picky about visitors.

There are too many other items to be concerned about like the fire that was in one of our trees last night. It basically destroyed the tree and our treasurer told me it may take $5,000 to $10,000. to take the tree down. I hope he was wrong.

thanks for letting me vent.
JonD1
Posts: 2,350
Posted:
A duffel bag would suggest perhaps a more brief visit. Hopefully, that is the case and this does not even become an issue.

Take a deep breath and relax.

As for your Treasurer's estimate to remove a single tree my guess you can take that for what it is worth. Nothing.
Simply contact a tree service or two and ask for pricing. A medium size tree here to remove a couple of hundred dollars.
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
Yes, your former president(s) have bothered you in the past. Something like this, I think a simple "thank you" is enough.

Won't your PM get you bids on taking out the tree?
BonnieG1 (Nebraska)
Posts: 1,186
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By KerryL1 on 08/31/2016 6:36 PM
Yes, your former president(s) have bothered you in the past. Something like this, I think a simple "thank you" is enough.

Won't your PM get you bids on taking out the tree?

I do need to learn to just say "Thank You". I should not allow myself to get so frustrated. But this former President has a history or reporting items that are not important and all and no action needs to be taken.

Our PM can get bids, but we are charged for the time when they get the bids. I guess it balances out because we are only charged $35.00 an hour for repairs they do around the building. I am going to ask the PM to give us a list of companies we can call to get bids to take down this large tree.
JonD1
Posts: 2,350
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By BonnieG1 on 08/31/2016 7:57 PM
Posted By KerryL1 on 08/31/2016 6:36 PM
Yes, your former president(s) have bothered you in the past. Something like this, I think a simple "thank you" is enough.

Won't your PM get you bids on taking out the tree?


I do need to learn to just say "Thank You". I should not allow myself to get so frustrated. But this former President has a history or reporting items that are not important and all and no action needs to be taken.

Our PM can get bids, but we are charged for the time when they get the bids. I guess it balances out because we are only charged $35.00 an hour for repairs they do around the building. I am going to ask the PM to give us a list of companies we can call to get bids to take down this large tree.

In the old days we used the "yellow pages". You call they come, you show them the tree, they give you a price.

If you trust the MC to do this fine but if their bids hit $5,000 to $10,000 I would get rid of the MC first and then remove the tree.
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
It was there treasurer, Jon, who apparently gave Bonnie an estimate. Who knows where he got his info.
KevinK7 (Florida)
Posts: 1,343
Posted:
I. Wouldn't call the owner after 7 days. Not your responsibility to enforce their lease, right?
ND (PA)
Posts: 792
Posted:
Bonnie,

In the past I've gotten similarly frustrated with people in my HOA contacting me directly with complaints. Accepting calls/emails and responding in any way only encourages them to keep doing it. Eventually I shut it down completely. I didn't answer phone calls. I didn't respond to emails. But I forwarded any messaged to the PM for them to sort out and deal with IAW our policies and procedures. While that may have irritated some people a bit, eventually they got the point that I wasn't the complaint recipient, and it relieved me of all associated responsibility and stress.

Since you have a PM, they should be receiving the complaints. That's a good reason to have a PM in my opinion. They are a neutral, third party who aren't neighbors with the complainers. If you don't already have a policy in place stating that, then you need to create one.

Also, I'd go so far as remembering the key complainers' phone numbers and simply not answer their calls. Or answer the call one last time and politely inform them that the need to contact the PM about whatever complaint they have and all future complaints. Eventually they'll get the point.

I also find it odd that your Board/HOA gets so deeply involved with visitors and their length of stay. There are so many variables . . . who is to say how long a visitor has been there or not? At what point does a stay end and begin again? What if they go out to the store for an hour, does that start the clock again, or is it still the same "stay"? Who is the visitor police (aside from your former president) that monitors all visitors at all times of the day? If you do have a visitor police, then you need to call the real police on them as they are invading others' privacy.

Good luck and no need to stress about this type of stuff. As you mention, there are much more important issues to deal with.

SueW6 (Michigan)
Posts: 814
Posted:
Bonnie -
You should not be bothered by petty issues all the time.

Set up a phone line or email address to handle all these "complaints." Just smile and ask the complainer to leave a message. Then a board member can listen to all of them and take the list to the next board meeting for consideration - not you.

PitA
Posts: 1,416
Posted:
POLITELY state: 'What is the nature of your emergency?'

When answered that it is not an emergency: POLITELY and FIRMLY state:

'Please put the matter in writing and put it/send it/email it (wherever your physical 'in box' is located)'

You can only be pestered IF YOU PERMIT SAME

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265
Posted:
Our BOD refuses to accept or acknowledge any complaints. Our owners are directed to put such in an Email to an address we have for such or write a letter to our PM.

In reality we will investigate most any verbal complaint and if we observe it, we (the BOD) become the written complainer.

🎯 You've read this entire discussion

Join the conversation with 50,000 HOA & Condo Leaders:

  • ✓ Ask follow-up questions
  • ✓ Share your experience
  • ✓ Get expert advice
  • ✓ Access 350,000 discussions
Create Free Account →

⚡ Takes 30 seconds

Already a member? Log in here