HOA being difficult

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Rockjock

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I had a customer ask me to clean up a fallen tree at his home, so we worked out a price and I arrive. I fire up the saw and start cutting when the HOA president comes running into the guys yard and almost knocks me over. He asked me what I think I am doing and then starts a huge fight with the homeowner. It seems they have a tree guy already, be it he was 6X more expensive than I quoted and quite a hack. He is the brother of the HOA president and banned from my store for not paying his bills. I now have other homeowners wanting me to clean up the fallen trees on their yards as well. Talk about being in a weird situation. Anyone come across such madness????
 
I don't play with HOA's for this exact reason they have a guy for everything and rape the homeowners. But I'm sure the president has a board above him so he can't just enact anything he wants too. I would try to find out if there is a governing body above him.


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Yep. Walk away. Maybe after the next HOA meeting you'll get invited back with permission. Probably not.

For me, the lawncare company was the problem. (They aren't liscenced for trees and they just hack or break low branches out of their way) Owners wanted competent pruning but HOA had an exclusive contract. It took over a year to get resolved.
 
Well they are a special breed that is for sure. As far as I can tell it is just a matter of the President wanting his brother to do all the work. They are not in the process of seeing if there is anything in the charter to support his position. I am being allowed to finish what I started so that is ok. But the issue are the other owners that also want me to do the same. They are calling the President little obama. LOL the guys wife is a tranny as well. ( I have not seen this first hand.. )
 
You won't get in trouble for doing the work. The homeowner who hires you is the one who gets it. Each Assn. Has it's own bylaws which will govern your clients. I agree with Del_. Just do it. Maybe you'll start a revolt. Just watch your back.
 
i dealt with this delivering firewood to a gated community. i got a speeding ticket 5 mph over posted speed. been delivering there 20 + years. the homeowner i delivered to got a $150 fine. the HOA is above the law. in PA the only police allowed to use radar are the PA state police. i researched this extensively before going to the hearing. the HOA being a private corp. can get away with just about anything. had a lot of pi$$ed off customers this fall when i told them i would not be delivering there this year and why.
 
It depends on how the bylaws are written. Unfortunately this usually requires a lawyer to help. There should be elections for board members. If enough people get pissed off at the president, just vote him out. Unfortunately you need to find someone else to run and vote in. A control freak is usually best suited for this job. Of course no one in their right mind would want this unpaid (usually) job, where most of what you do is listen to people ***** about what their neighbors are doing.
 
HOAs have both good and bad things. My mom lives in one, a 3 bed 2 bath duplex. Nice place. They take care of most things outside. She takes care of inside. It's nice for her. They mow and keep the outside of the house in great shape. A few years ago there were some dead tulip poplar trees around her house and the neighbors. They asked the HOA and were told it was their responsibility. She picked her own person to do the tree work. The neighbors used the same one since it was cheaper since they were already there, split the cost. I cut it all up once the trees were down and got all the wood.
 
I would NEVER live in any neighborhood that had a HOA. There is a mental issue with such people who are on those boards- they thrive on messing with the lives of others.
What is the point of "ownership" if you have no control over that which you own. You have less rights than a renter. My father in law got so fed up with his HOA he became the guy that tells everyone else what to do!:dumb:
 
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