Air Conditioning unit

Started by JamesK18 • 16 replies • 1072 views

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JamesK18 (Colorado)
Posts: 5

Posted:

I live in Littleton Colorado and I Purchased my townhome in 2009 the air Conditioning unit was on the east side of my building last month the Hoa asked me to disconnect the air-conditioner unit and move it inside my garage temporary so they can do some backfilled and get rid of some of the landscaping on the side of my gun it this morning I got the letter and Hoa. Asked me to re-locate my air-conditioner units to the northside of my unit I was wondering if they can do that since I Purchased a townhome nine years ago with the air conditioner on the west side

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Yes. They need to do work on the common area. Your unit is blocking that work. Your HOA can also move it for you and send you the bill if you refuse. So would you like to do it at your cost or the HOA's?

Former HOA President

JamesK18 (Colorado)
Posts: 5

Posted:

I did remove it but now they want me to re-locate the whole unit from the Westside to the northside and I was wondering if they can ask Me to relocate the unit since that unit has been on west side of my unit for ever

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Well yes they can. They need to do work on that side. Just because it's been there since you purchased, doesn't mean you don't ever need to move it. The HOA never had to do this work before. Now that they do, they have ASKED you to move it during this work. It's good they are asking because they can move it and send you the bill for it.

Former HOA President

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Welcome to the forum, James. Please be skeptical of Melissa's advice. I'm not knowledgable about this topic, but your governing documents, let's say your CC&Rs, might have something in them about AC units and yours & the Assocation's obligations about them.

You say you got a letter form the "HOA." does that mean the board president? Or the property manager?

JamesK18 (Colorado)
Posts: 5

Posted:

I got the letter from HOA but i contacted HOA and they said board told them to send me a letter . Board includes 3 people which includes a guy and his wife and one of his family its a joke

GenoS (Florida)
Posts: 4,276

Posted:

Welcome, JamesK18. There's a bit of a terminology problem. You say you contacted "the HOA" and they told you "the Board" told them to send you the letter. Here's the problem: the HOA IS the Board for all intents and purposes. So what you've written doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

I agree with Kerry. Are you speaking of your property management company, perhaps?

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Is this a window AC or central air unit? If it is a central unit, I don't think they can compel you to, window unit yes.

JamesK18 (Colorado)
Posts: 5

Posted:

YesYes i am so sorry i got the letter from property management and I contacted them to see what they are talking about and they told ke board told them to send me that letter . I was. My question is my ac unit was on west side of my building (in common area ) since they build my unit and now all the sudden board decided to tell me to change it to the north side

JamesK18 (Colorado)
Posts: 5

Posted:

Its a central air unit

RichardP13 (California)
Posts: 3,868

Posted:

Melissa is clueless. If the HOA wants it moved, it is on their dime.

GeorgeS21 (Florida)
Posts: 3,808

Posted:

Yeah ... would agree if it’s the compressor unit for a central HVAC system, then not sure you can told to move it, unless there s some negotiation and the HOA pays for the work.

I’m really unclear on why it needs to be moved ... pretty big deal doing so ...if moved to other side of house, gotta run power and how new set of refrigerant lines ... big cost.

LmT (California)
Posts: 237

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MelissaP1 on 04/22/2019 5:12 PM
Well yes they can. They need to do work on that side. Just because it's been there since you purchased, doesn't mean you don't ever need to move it. The HOA never had to do this work before. Now that they do, they have ASKED you to move it during this work. It's good they are asking because they can move it and send you the bill for it.

Melissa. You frequently are the first to jump in with a response before fully reading, or understanding, the OP.

In this instance James made it clear (if you read carefully before jumping on the keyboard) that his question was regarding being asked first to move his AC while work is carried out and then to relocate his AC unit. Not who would pay for it. Richard and Kerry are right.

Your tone is, all too often, aggressive and not in the spirit of this forum.

To James, I would think being asked to relocate you central AC unit is a big job and probably an expensive exercise. If the HOA is doing work in the common area and needs your AC moved, they should be asking your permission and when you grant them that permission, they should both pay for it and do the moving by a licensed AC contractors.

But that's just my opinion.

NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By GeorgeS21 on 04/23/2019 7:12 AM
Yeah ... would agree if it’s the compressor unit for a central HVAC system, then not sure you can told to move it, unless there s some negotiation and the HOA pays for the work.

I’m really unclear on why it needs to be moved ... pretty big deal doing so ...if moved to other side of house, gotta run power and how new set of refrigerant lines ... big cost.

Agree with George.

Can't think of any justification for the Board's 2nd request.

If location of compressor was in violation when you bought the house in 2009, you should have been notified. If you didn't get any notice back then, you had every right to expect that you wouldn't get demands to change the location just because someone doesn't like how it looks today.

How does a Board retroactively decide that the original location of your compressor is a violation? Beats me. Without a vote of the owners who are expected to eat such a big expense? Nonsense.

The dilemma of course is that the location of your compressor is now in limbo. I suggest that you get a few of your neighbors together to discuss how to stop your Board from making any demands beyond the 1st request - which you complied with - but only with the reasonable and natural expectation that you would put it back in the same location when the work was done.

Best of luck.

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.

BillH10 (Texas)
Posts: 1,217

Posted:

JamesK

No one has really mentioned it but the expense of the temporary move of your compressor unit to the garage while the association performs work on the common area is on the association's dime, not yours.

You should not be responsible for one single cent of expense in any of this. The temps in Colorado are pretty moderate right now so lack of AC should not be an issue. I lived in Denver for a couple of years while serving in the Air Force. If this were taking place in July, I would ask the association to cover the expense of alternative living arrangements as well.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

As good as som of these replies seem to be, I think that IF RoyalP reviews the replies, he'd be a really help here.

RoyalP
Posts: 1,104

Posted:

Too many variables.

? Split ductless system ?

? Coventional inside/outside system ?

? Package Unit ?

Is the requested relocation 5 feet around the corner or 40 feet ?

Was the unit 'originally' located (albeit many years ago) improperly ?

Who would be responsible for 'future problems' after the relocation of a properly running unit ?

HVAC compressors are VERY VERY expensive to remove and reinstall PROPERLY, much less relocate.

"Conventually" relocated unit will probably run OK for a short period before failing, IMO, then what ?

NOW would be the ideal time for a new unit !

Properly purged as per good/best practice NOT merely code compliant.

(after location is 'engraved in stone')

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