fire sprinklers

TomG16 (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 7

Posted:

I am owner-resident of a HOA townhouse in PA where all units have individual water fire sprinklers that are hooked to each units private water line. HOA does not pay for the cost, maintenance, inspection of these systems that are located strictly inside each home. My insurance company does not require inspection. Now, a new board has mandated that unit owners must arrange, pay for the inspection of each system (not HOA), even if there is no indication of any problem with it, and share the results with the HOA board. They threaten an unstated amount fine if not done. Owners did not get to vote on this, HOA just added it to the Condo Documents recently. Do they have the right to intrude inside my home and force this?

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

I'm guessing that the board has no choice that the inspection is muni- or state required.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Isn't the HOA made of homeowners? So how did not homeowners vote for this? Not a bad idea to inspect for piece of mind knowing others around you are in compliance. Too late when one is not and you all burn.

Former HOA President

ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 4,420

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By TomG16 on 02/08/2023 11:27 AM
I am owner-resident of a HOA townhouse in PA where all units have individual water fire sprinklers that are hooked to each units private water line. HOA does not pay for the cost, maintenance, inspection of these systems that are located strictly inside each home. My insurance company does not require inspection. Now, a new board has mandated that unit owners must arrange, pay for the inspection of each system (not HOA), even if there is no indication of any problem with it, and share the results with the HOA board. They threaten an unstated amount fine if not done. Owners did not get to vote on this, HOA just added it to the Condo Documents recently. Do they have the right to intrude inside my home and force this?

First I would be asking the board to explain why it did this. What I have seen is that a HOA's insurer may ask the HOA board either to impose such a requirement or face higher HOA insurance premiums. It's entirely possible any increase in insurance premiums (due to not having such inspections), spread over all owners, is greater than what individual owners pay for an inspection. You can study the governing documents for a long time and maybe argue that imposing such a requirement is not allowed. But ask a competent HOA attorney, and I bet she says that it may be allowed per ____. After all, this concerns safety and the HOA's bottom line when it comes to insurance premiums.

You do know insurance premiums have particularly soared in recent years, don't you?

CathyA3 (Ohio)
Posts: 6,299

Posted:

FWIW, the local fire department requires my condo association to provide proof that the controls for each building's sprinkler systems are inspected annually, and we can be fined if they are not.

Building codes change, fire codes change, and it would not surprise me at all if at some point the interior portions of our systems have to be inspected as well. The association carries all-included insurance, meaning that in the event of a fire, the association's insurance would pick up the cost for portions of the interior of the home (cabinets, appliances, flooring, and the like). The association's insurer has an interest in those sprinklers working, even though they're located inside individual homes.

I agree that asking the board about this may be useful. And talk to your own insurer - it's possible that having annual inspections may lower your own premiums.

MaxB4
Posts: 3,513

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ElleN on 02/08/2023 11:58 AM

Posted By TomG16 on 02/08/2023 11:27 AM
I am owner-resident of a HOA townhouse in PA where all units have individual water fire sprinklers that are hooked to each units private water line. HOA does not pay for the cost, maintenance, inspection of these systems that are located strictly inside each home. My insurance company does not require inspection. Now, a new board has mandated that unit owners must arrange, pay for the inspection of each system (not HOA), even if there is no indication of any problem with it, and share the results with the HOA board. They threaten an unstated amount fine if not done. Owners did not get to vote on this, HOA just added it to the Condo Documents recently. Do they have the right to intrude inside my home and force this?

First I would be asking the board to explain why it did this. What I have seen is that a HOA's insurer may ask the HOA board either to impose such a requirement or face higher HOA insurance premiums. It's entirely possible any increase in insurance premiums (due to not having such inspections), spread over all owners, is greater than what individual owners pay for an inspection. You can study the governing documents for a long time and maybe argue that imposing such a requirement is not allowed. But ask a competent HOA attorney, and I bet she says that it may be allowed per ____. After all, this concerns safety and the HOA's bottom line when it comes to insurance premiums.

You do know insurance premiums have particularly soared in recent years, don't you?

Competent HOA Lawyers don't work for homeowners, the work for Association (aka, the Board)

WendyM5 (North Carolina)
Posts: 1,522

Posted:

some cities require annual inspections.. looks like it's a thing in philly

https://www.phila.gov/departments/department-of-licenses-and-inspections/inspections/maintenance-certifications/fire-protection-certifications/

vis ta vie

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Tom

Typically when you have units that abut, the association is allowed to inspect to assure one unit is not nor can damage another unit.

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

I would kindly ask your HOA leaders to cite the reason for the inspection. Ask if the inspection is required by code or statute.
Have you talked to your insurance carrier? do they require proof of inspection? Perhaps you can receive a discount on your premiums for a
certified inspected sprinkler system.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Here's why my condo sprinklers will be inspected next month. It's by order of the "State Fire Marshall as noted in NFPA 25, California edition." Owners, of course, do not vote on this. It'd be helpful, Tom, if your board would provide the same written courtesy as ours does every year.