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TimL3 (Maryland)
Posts: 18
Posted:
1, 2pm downstairs called COA for his bathroom ceiling water leaking. But nobody responded phone call as it was Thanksgiving eve in 2015.

2, 6:30pm downstairs had to call 911 to get a fireman. The fireman checked the problem was my toilet leaking. Then turned off toilet shut off valve in the toilet back. And let us leave the home until toilet fixed. And told downstairs already stopped emergency leaking. Dripping water needs few hours to dry.

3, 7pm downstairs called COA again for my toilet leaking as he thought dripping water was still an emergency situation or building pipes maybe was a small leaking. I didn't notice COA because I didn't know COA will involve this case.

4, 9pm-9:30pm COA sent locksmith and plumber to enter my home to replace a toilet ring wax only. Police was there to watch and had a time record in police department. Unfortunately COA sent an unqualified plumber, toilet continued to leak two weeks until another plumber fixed. Until now, no more leaking again.

In the bill it wrote plumber worked from 11pm-2am for 3 hours included trip, actually he just worked half hour in my home from 9pm-9:30pm. COA paid locksmith and plumber total $900, then billed me automatically from my HOA fee. Downstairs sold his home in Nov 2016.

I tried to negotiate with them. They didn't agree and let attorney send a letter to file a lien to my property within 30 days.

If dripping water is an emergency case. Why when I reported to COA for my upstairs neighbor AC pipes was leaking and caused my utility roof collapse and damaged my AC in May 2016, I attached collapse photos. But I waited for 3 months for a worker to come to fix it. Same type of water leaking issues, roof collapsing, why was mine request delayed for 3 month and others was processes immediately and my home was broken in? Isn’t this a discrimination?

Should I pay this expensive bill? Please advise. Thanks in advance!
TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059
Posted:
1) Plumbers often have minimal charge (or minimal hours charged) when called after hours.

2) You have asked this question multiple times in different threads:

Subject: fight now or Pay and sue back

Subject: Isn’t this a discrimination?

3) I believe most on this site, myself included, suggested paying the bill.

4) Asking the same question different ways hoping to get others to agree with you that you shouldn't have to pay the bill is irrelevant to your situation. Even if everyone agreed that you should not have to pay the bill, it's still your decision.

There are consequences for every decision.
Some consequences are known and foreseeable.
Some consequences are not known and unforeseeable.

You have to live with the consequences of your decision.
We do not.

GenoS (Florida)
Posts: 4,276
Posted:
I think it's not discrimination and you should pay it.
MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836
Posted:
Pay the bill and argue later. That plumber is going to get their money somehow. That may be to sue you or the HOA. Guess who the HOA is going to sue? Plus the effect of a HOA lawsuit effects everyone from loan rates to loan packages offered.

A few weeks ago, I had a tree fall onto my neighbor's house. It was during the recent hurricane remnants that came through. The tree had been rotten. It was in a difficult spot and risky to remove. Luckily when it fell it did not pierce his roof. Shingles stayed intact. My fence was damaged.

Called insurance company immediately even though it was a holiday weekend. The claim would have been my neighbor's to make but because my tree was rotten, the claim went to my insurance. We happened to have the same insurance and agent. I did not make a claim.

So things like this happen. Am I happy I now have to go find a contractor to remove the rest of the trees? No. It's going to be very expensive and damaging to my property. However, I've got to take on the responsibility. Sucking it up buttercup...

Former HOA President
JanetB2 (Colorado)
Posts: 4,219
Posted:
If you do not pay that $900 bill will expand into potentially thousands with additional attorney fees, filing fees, etc., plus you might end up with a home foreclosure depending on your State Statutes.

If you had a problem in May 2016 (which may have been a different BOD of directors and who may have been less responsive to owners) you should have addressed that issue back at that time. It is now a year and half later and a different issue .... one per your documents you are responsible for paying.

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