Harassing emails

Started by WilliamW15 • 11 replies • 391 views

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WilliamW15 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14

Posted:

I am the newly elected President of an HOA with 51 townhouses. We removed two Directors in Feb. 2024. It was not an easy process but we prevailed. We are moving forward with newly formed committees, updated contracts and the overwhelming majority of our homeowners are happy. Our issue is that one of the former directors who was removed continuously emails gripes, complaints etc. to the new board. We have tried to answer each email in a professional way bending over backwards trying to answer his emails. It is becoming rather annoying to continue answering these emails to the point it’s almost harassment. Any suggestions would be helpful to mitigate the bombardment of emails from one disgruntled homeowner.

SteveM9 (Massachusetts)
Posts: 3,699

Posted:

Thank you for your email, we will try to respond to non-emergency emails within 30 days. Wait 29 days.....

ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 4,420

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By WilliamW15 on 04/14/2024 11:06 AM
We have tried to answer each email in a professional way bending over backwards trying to answer his emails.

The HOA has a legal obligation/duty to review each email and make sure emergencies, among other things, are addressed.

But the HOA board/manager does not have a legal/obligation duty to answer each email.

As others will point out, if the board/manager feels they must respond, then bland, extremely short, boilerplate responses are the best way to shut down someone who is frivolous with his/her complaints. After one response to an issue the owner raises, either answer no other responses, or respond with "asked and answered."

Set up this policy //now//.

At this forum, your complaint is common.

CathyA3 (Ohio)
Posts: 6,299

Posted:

Keep in mind that the director who was removed has a bruised ego, and a certain amount of misbehavior isn't surprising. I think if you respond to genuine issues and ignore the nonsense, things will simmer down as he discovers that the board can't be baited into an argument and he doesn't get the emotional reaction that he's looking for.

You also have no obligation to respond more than once to any one issue. Acknowledge the receipt of the email, but don't engage further. Brief, bland, boring.

MichaelS56 (Minnesota)
Posts: 858

Posted:

Make sure that only one Board is responding to the emails. The other Board members can see them but do not respond.

DeanJ
Posts: 1,786

Posted:

“The board is in receipt of your email”.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

I can't help myself. Always curious. Who is the "We" who removed two board members?

If your HOA has a community manager who replies to owners' emails, the Board might make a policy that all emails go to the Manager. If no manager, permit such emails to only one director as suggested above. That person can reply as others suggest. There are other good ideas here too.

RileyS (California)
Posts: 55

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ElleN on 04/14/2024 11:53 AM

But the HOA board/manager does not have a legal/obligation duty to answer each email.

Can you say that - if you don't know what the contract between the HOA and Property Manager require?

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

The BOD is is receipt of your recent Email concerning such and such. Once and if we we discuss it, we well reply to you.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

This is not harassment. It is hard feelings. We had a policy. If you submitted by email we read it at the open board meeting for all to great and make opinion. We would then reply sites direct rules reference. However you also had to agree if you submit an issue then had to have a solution suggested. If not then the board does it for you.

Otherwise you had to show up to a meeting to speak at open meeting. Again have solution or one given to you. No one says you have to respond directly. Usually 30 days and promise to research before responding.

Again harassment is a chargeable offense in real world. Annoying people is just that. Choose to be annoyed or not.

Former HOA President

TerriS6 (California)
Posts: 3,284

Posted:

Maybe you need another the committee; the member correspondence committee. They can share the burden. And a policy for reporting emergencies so they don't get lost in the bundle.

WendyM5 (North Carolina)
Posts: 1,522

Posted:

this would probably be me after I leave my current board position. Emailing the new board about why they are trying to raise dues above maximum cap of 10% a year , or why they have not updated website with financial docs or why they are not having open board meetings. Things were run so poorly before...... I can see them going back to the opaque former ways.

vis ta vie

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