FYI

[geekchick]

The North Lake Village HOA can bite my shiny metal ass.

And reimburse me for $500+ $1000+ in towing fees for the cars they had removed from a residential parking lot where we are entitled to park.

[Edit: Well, that's not going to happen. They apparently towed me because of an expired inspection sticker, and the fee's already at $450 for each car. When did HOAs get into the business of enforcing that kind of crap?]

Comments

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Sending them a copy of your bill/receipt?

[geekchick]

I will once I get the cars. I can't actually afford to go get them out of the lot right now, and the fees are going to be insane by the time next Friday gets here.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Hells bells. Can you or have you contact(ed) anyone with the HOA and bitch until they take care of it for you?

[geekchick]

I called the property manager, but it was after 5 and she was long gone. I'll talk to her tomorrow.

I can maybe scrape up enough to get one car out of the lot, but they're apparently claiming it's been there since Monday. I know that's untrue, because I specifically noticed that they were in the lot Tuesday morning because I saw a county cop parked there and I wondered what was going on. So the towing company is trying to stiff us out of a day's fees too, it seems.

[geekchick]

I guess I was wrong. I was sure I saw them Tuesday morning, but all their paperwork says Monday. WTF ever.

[wolfy.livejournal.com]

Oh this will be fun. I have string and pliers tooth pulling will be way easier.

[penk.livejournal.com]

The HOA theoretically is... the residents! So what twisted logic did they have that your cars were okay to tow?

[geekchick]

I have no idea, I called the property management chick but it was after 5 and she was long gone. I'll try and find out tomorrow.

The annoying thing is that we all got the newsletter reminding us that if we needed more than the 2 spaces we have, we should park in that lot across the street or out on the road. The only thing I can guess is that someone figured them as abandoned because they hadn't been moved in a while.

Of course, I don't recall ever hearing anything about "you can only park in one spot for X days before we consider it abandoned".

[geekchick]

After having gone to the towing lot to try and get the car back, the logic was apparently that I had an expired safety inspection sticker. How the HOA is in a position to enforce that sorta thing, I have no idea.

[plaidsheep.livejournal.com]

FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHCK

WHAT KIND OF SORRY ASS MUTHA FUCKIN BUSYBODY CLUELESS ASSHAT FUCKWADS WOULD HAVE BOTH OF YOUR CARS TOWED FOR NO REASON?!!!!!!

*pant* *pant* *pant*

Yeah, I would be pretty damned angry if that was me...

sounds like there may be a small claims court date in your future.???

[geekchick]

Well, I went to go try and get my car out of Henry's lot (unsuccessfully, because they want $400 today, which I don't have, and $50/day for every day it's there) and saw that there's a sticker on the window saying that my car needed to be moved because it had an expired safety inspection sticker. In essence, the HOA is now enforcing motor vehicle laws.

Anyway, that's what happened. There were at least three cars towed that day.

I'm really starting to feel picked on, y'know?

[penk.livejournal.com]

That is complete and total bullshit.

I'd raise holy hell with them, and bill their asses six ways from Sunday. YOu did not break any written rules, they didn't even do the BASICS of trying to contact you about the car. You should go ahead and have half the board's cars towed, just because you don't like their color.

If it were an honest mistake, that's fine. But it's an honest mistake that's costing you $1000. If they don't agree, call your lawyer.

No, I'm not kidding.

[geekchick]

Their version of a warning is slapping a "Warning: you need to move your car" sticker on the windshield. Because I didn't go move the car for a while (what with not driving it because of an expired inspection sticker and all), I didn't know anything about it until the car disappeared.

I have to dig up the covenants (assuming we ever got a copy), C. thinks he remembers there being something included about registrations having to be kept current.

If I ever get around to buying a house, the very first thing on my list is going to be "not part of an HOA".

[madbodger.livejournal.com]

When did HOAs get into the business of enforcing that kind of crap?

When they realized they could get kickbacks.

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

Jesus menstruating Christ! I'm so sorry, hon. :( What a bunch of pathetic, small-minded, small-gonaded, petty, tin-plated dicators with delusions of grandeur.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

HOA's and their authority are seriously fucking creepy: http://www.alternet.org/environment/51001/

[geekchick]

Yep. The covenants here contain a lot of those same clauses.

If I ever buy a house, the very first non-negotiable item on my list is going to be "no HOA".

[rdhdsnippet.livejournal.com]

That's why we live in Sterling Park. :-/ I'm so sorry this is happening to you! :(

[stitchinthyme.livejournal.com]

You know, the more I hear about the stupid, draconian rules HOAs make, the gladder I am that we live in a neighborhood that doesn't have one. I've always thought that when you own a house (or townhouse, or condo, or whatever), you should be able to do whatever the heck you want on your own property (within the law and with consideration for your neighbors, of course).

Anyway, that sucks. I would definitely think about moving if at all possible.