How does one communicate with HOA and Managment Co?

Started by MichelleC8 • 4 replies • 291 views

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MichelleC8 (California)
Posts: 80

Posted:

Hello all,

I recently had an incident at my community and I’d like to ask if there was a better way to handle this.

There is a plumbing leak that I emailed to our manager 4 days ago. It’s been spraying onto an common walkway and is a known issue previously.

I never got a response from our manager, and I do believe I followed up with a call. No response and this was a day after the email

I saw our HOA board member who told me they are due to have it repaired that day I called which was day #2. The plumber was here essentially told the board member that they could put a band aid on it or fix it properly. This conversation happened outside my front door that was open. I didn’t pay much attention to this as I was busy..

Day 3 the day after the leak was suppose to be fixed it was leaking again. I cam home and emailed the manager and ccd the board member of which I have his personal information as we served for a year before my term was up.

I got a response from the board member telling stop meddling in everything and they are working on it. Day 5 today its still spraying away… a pinhole leak of some sort..

This seems like a minor thing but to have water just spraying away for 5 days is not good.
Seeing there many others here on this forum, how would of you dealt with this knowing that the leak was active after it was suppose to be fixed. BTW No communication to owners they have the ability to email was sent out to us.

They video below is today. Mind you its not as bad as it was but still active.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

In a "Perfect world" this would/could be fixed right away. However, we do NOT live in a perfect world. The plumber stated as you overheard that it was just a "band-aid" job. Most jobs now a days are those. The reasons vary. It could be weather. It could parts. It could be that money isn't there. The list can go on and on. The ONLY thing you could do is report it. Everything else after that if your not on the board is let them do their job. Which is what they were telling you.

Example: Currently I have a problem with a door in my house. The weather stripping is not sealing fully. I called it into the warranty system. They responded would be out in a week. The person responded. He had the wrong parts, no tools, and the weather stripping was at another location across town. His car was "broken down". Yada yada. Now he's not scheduled to show up again till next week! Mind you I could easily fix this issue myself. However, it's in my warranty they do it. So I've got to wait with the cooler weather a small gap in my front door. It's just what it is. I hate it and would love to call them every day demanding something be done. Well something is being done. Just not on my schedule or in my scope of work. Sometimes got to accept that and move on.

Former HOA President

GregM14 (Washington)
Posts: 81

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MichelleC8 on 11/11/2021 12:21 PM

Hello all,

I recently had an incident at my community and I’d like to ask if there was a better way to handle this.

There is a plumbing leak that I emailed to our manager 4 days ago. It’s been spraying onto an common walkway and is a known issue previously.

I never got a response from our manager, and I do believe I followed up with a call. No response and this was a day after the email

I saw our HOA board member who told me they are due to have it repaired that day I called which was day #2. The plumber was here essentially told the board member that they could put a band aid on it or fix it properly. This conversation happened outside my front door that was open. I didn’t pay much attention to this as I was busy..

Day 3 the day after the leak was suppose to be fixed it was leaking again. I cam home and emailed the manager and ccd the board member of which I have his personal information as we served for a year before my term was up.

I got a response from the board member telling stop meddling in everything and they are working on it. Day 5 today its still spraying away… a pinhole leak of some sort..

This seems like a minor thing but to have water just spraying away for 5 days is not good.
Seeing there many others here on this forum, how would of you dealt with this knowing that the leak was active after it was suppose to be fixed. BTW No communication to owners they have the ability to email was sent out to us.

They video below is today. Mind you its not as bad as it was but still active.

This sounds familiar. In my association, before I joined, I would e-mail the PM who wouldn't bother responding or taking care of my concerns. The board had a special Gmail account, and they always responded if I e-mailed them. But then I'd e-mail the PM and cc: the board and then the board contact would get annoyed that I e-mailed them.

If they just dealt with the problem in the first place, properly, they wouldn't have a reason to be annoyed with me.

AugustinD
Posts: 3,698

Posted:

MichelleC8, I would be annoyed too. But after a number of years of experience with condos and HOAs, I realize the board is going to do what it is going to do (or not do what it is not going to do). I can ask politely but then, if the board won't change, I would shift into what my realistic, legally-supported, remaining options are:

(1) Run for the board with people who have also 'just had it' with the present board's incompetence, including lack of oversight of the manager.

(2) Series of escalating demand letters.

Both options are time, labor and emotion-intensive.

BenA2 (Texas)
Posts: 1,273

Posted:

I would be at the next board meeting to express my displeasure. First, there should be an emergency contact. An outside water leak may not be an emergency but it definitely should get immediate attention. Second, there is no excuse for the manager not responding to you within one business day. Third, as a member of the HOA, you are part owner of whatever is leaking and if the board member does not want to hear from association members about problems they need to resign.

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