Rules are there to give some structure to the existing setup. They reign in chaos and ensure the safety of the members. In the case of homeowners associations, things are often a bit extreme. They rule like the worst dictators history has ever seen, imposing penalties as they deem fit. More often than we'd like, the HOA guidelines do not make sense and are pretty maddening to follow. Here are some ridiculously infuriating interactions residents had to endure.
No More Holiday Fun
Some HOA rules are so ridiculous that we honestly do not know what to say. What made anyone come up with a silly edict that says the holiday decorations can be up only until the first week of January?
What happens if the family is out for an extended vacation and is not back in time to take them down? As it happens, this person's mother fell and injured her ankle while putting up the decorations, and as most foot injuries go, it takes a while to heal. So, a wreath was left on the front porch longer than the regimented time, and the HOA took affront and bombarded the resident with penalties. Couldn't they have made an exception?
Not Allowed to Mourn in Peace
To put it mildly, this one reeks of bad judgment. Any compassionate person would know not to bring up money matters at a funeral. A homeowner had passed away with a month's dues, and to everyone's shock, the HOA members broached the subject with the family while attending the memorial service.
Talk about a lack of empathy! How can one be so obsessed with the financials when the entire family is mourning the loss of a beloved person? They had the gall to even ask them how they would pay the back dues plus the dues they'll incur until the house is sold. No one can rest in peace with such insensitive folks around.
Revenge Best Served Cold
As is the norm in most neighborhoods under strict homeowners rules, the HOA kept harassing a resident for non-compliance. This house owner couldn't care less about the mandatory norms, and he kept receiving notices and penalties that soon stacked up high until the management lost its cool and sued.
Here is the best part, a critical loophole that the homeowners association wasn't aware of. The house was built 30 years before the HOA came into existence and hence did not come under its purview. In court, the resident walked away, winning the case against him, after ensuring he had counter-harassed them by breaking every one of their rules. Way to go, sir! Revenge is indeed best served cold.
Where's Their Bottom Line?
As if HOA's image wasn't bad enough, this one takes it down a few more notches. This netizen's parents had bought a new house. A while later, the homeowner's association began harassing them for non-payment of dues by sending them notices and fines.
On inquiry, the staff was pretty rude to them while they were informed of the contract they supposedly signed. Later, after a difficult time going back and forth to clear up the issue, it came to light that the signatures on the contract were forged by the HOA. They failed to get their papers signed during the purchase and came up with an atrocious game plan to get the new owners to pay up.
For Want of Extra Cash Flow
When every house in the neighborhood gets fined for the same thing, it is bound to get your hackles up just like it did with this person. Suddenly, 268 houses out of the total 284 under one HOA got bombarded with fines for dirty roofs.
Everyone soon gathered around to figure out what was lurking beneath the mass penalties. The investigation revealed that the HOA president needed extra cash since he had recently begun a power-washing business. His not-so-clever move to increase his income by penalizing the residents got him exposed, and he was eventually impeached. Thankfully, none of the houses had to pay the fines.
He Had to Pay For Being Mean
Some HOAs are extremely strict, and this can make it look as though they are out of their mind. It's so disturbing to know that kids cannot have fun without having issues with HOAs. After this little boy fixed his toy truck on the driveway, his parent got fined for improper improvement carried out on the property.
We are sure the parent took up the case against this HOA, but unfortunately, they lost and were asked to pay compensation. After the compensation, this kid pulled a good one on the HOA. In a bid to get back at the association, he applied some oil under the president’s vehicle, ensuring he waste his cash on a nonexistent fault. This serves him right!
More Like a Sorority or Association
Most of us have experienced terrible HOAs. It would interest you to know that they have been functioning since the mid-19th century and have spread rapidly since then. This person just moved to Florida where each neighborhood is an HOA.
Upon getting there, it seemed as though he had joined an association or sorority, and he had to tolerate all manners of excesses from the HOA. The final straw was when they fined him for a dirty mailbox. This man went around the street and captured pictures of mailboxes with no doors and those covered in mildew, and he sent the photos to the HOA. He told them not to meddle in his affairs until these mailboxes are in proper shape.
A Coup and Its Aftermath
Apart from constituting a nuisance to many homes and property owners, HOAs have controversial stories as well. After this person’s HOA had a coup, about half of the board resigned immediately, and the three board persons that were left in the management of the neighborhood were handed over to a mega HOA corporation.
The residents tried to overturn this incident, but it was to no avail. To make matters worse, the management was assigned to a man whose only formal education is a degree in Opera, and the accountant does not even have a degree in business or finance. She only has a formal education in ballet.
They Can Be Nasty
One of the most annoying stories of HOAs is about sending a nasty notice, telling this person to move his lawn when there was no lawn around the compound. He was in danger of being fined.
Here, he shared his side of the story, explaining that the lawn in question was just seed, straw, and topsoil; thus, there is no lawn to be removed. Later, the “lawn” was discovered to be a single seed growing under the shade of a bay window. This man didn’t pull it out; instead, he tied it to a stake and told them it was the family’s garden. His smartness is commendable.
Insensitivity of the Highest Order
There are thousands of HOAs around and several exasperating stories to go with them. We are aware of the decisions and unbelievable rules they set for people, but this case is the highest of it all.
There is nothing as terrifying as you watching your home destroyed right before you. Someone's house was on fire and fortunately, people were able to come out alive and sound. As a result of the incident, there was a big hole in the side of the house which needed a temporary solution before it gets fixed. They put a piece of material to cover the hole and ridiculously got fined by the mean HOA.
Showing Up at Your Porch Unannounced
Picture this: it's 6.30 am, probably on a weekend, and your cats are going ballistic in your backyard. What could be the problem? You wonder as you drag yourself out of bed to check on them.
Something tells you there could be an intruder, and it doesn't take long to confirm it as you see some movement and hear your sliding door jiggle. By now, you are frightened, and you quickly open the blinds to see an old man standing on your porch. Unfortunately, it takes you calling the cops to find out that he is an inspector from your hood's HOA. Surely, they could have at least called!
Paying Dearly for a Petty Mistake
The HOA business is the closest we will get to being conned out of our livelihoods, and this guy's experience proves precisely that. On top of paying a $617 monthly fee to the association, he got a whopping $500 fine for leaving a glass cup on the BBQ.
It's funny that they were so quick to come for his neck, yet they couldn't come to his rescue a while back after one of the walls in his house got flooded from the inside. We bet this guy refused to pay their petty fine like the greedy homeowners association refused to fix his wall. Better still, we hope he sued them in both instances.
They Didn't See It Coming
Believe those who say you need to improvise if you are to outlive the system because just as nature favors the fittest to survive, you might also need to outsmart HOAs to keep them at bay. This family was likely pumped that their homeowners association didn't have as many rules, only to realize that they weren't any different from all other stubborn HOAs.
Seeing that theirs didn't allow campers to be visible from the street, this family constructed a driveway addition on the side of the house. Still, a critical HOA representative sent them a photo of the camper inside the private yard. The dad only needed to retaliate with trespassing laws, and it shooed them off.
Tell You What, That's Not It
Attentiveness to detail seems like something most homeowners associations have capitalized on, much to the detriment of poor civilians who can't distinguish the different shades of whites on mailboxes.
No doubt, this guy's parents had the most confusing and infuriating encounter with an HOA representative who told them they had to repaint their white mailbox into an acceptable white shade. Did we also mention that the repainting would be at the couple's expense? We're definitely not pulling your leg when we say some of these homeowners associations can be a joke at times because this here is one big joke.
We Don't Take Excuses
Here is yet another instance if anyone doubts how horrible HOA staff can be. When this person's grandma fell ill and had to go to the hospital, they could not take in the trash cans.
Unfortunately, two HOA representatives saw this as an opportunity to mint money off an old woman and gave her a $50 fine for failing to bring in the trash cans. In their defense, one of the representatives was also at the hospital the previous week but didn't fail to bring in their trash cans. Clearly, empathy has only remained a concept and not a way of life to most people.
Getting Back at a Neighbor
Now, this was undoubtedly a cold neighbors' vendetta as this guy's neighbors called HOA on them for parking too far from the curb.
They didn't care that he was only a learner and didn't know all the parking basics yet. His parents ended up paying a fine, which some might argue was unreasonable, but it must have been in their community's CC&Rs and rules for parking restrictions. Either way, the cruel neighbor getting back at them and their HOA should have been more pitiful of the young person whose only big mistake was trying to learn how to drive.
Not Your Bush Guy
This story is annoying, especially after you learn that the person involved was fined $400 for a non-existent overhanging bush in his imagined walkway. It would have made perfect sense if the guy at least had a walkway or a bush in his name, but he didn't, and his homeowner association wasn't having any of it.
It is one thing to make a mistake, realize it and make amends, but it is entirely another when you won't back down. From the looks of it, this person's HOA representative wasn't about to let go of that fine or the story where this person had an untended walkway.
More Unreasonable Parking Rules
This parking rule might shock you if you thought you had already come across some of the most absurd HOA rules. This rule makes no sense for this guy and others who may have wanted to use the parking lot but couldn't because they made up a 72 hours reserved parking space rule during the lockdown.
We understand the frustration since most HOA communities have a 24-hour parking policy, which renders vehicles left at a spot for extended periods abandoned. Other rules that some folks find unreasonable are having a bed covering for one's pickup truck and not parking a vehicle with the front or rear sticking over the curb.
Selling a Soldier's Home
We might forgive HOAs for some of their ridiculous moves, but selling a soldier's home is unacceptable and horrible. This soldier from Texas was dutifully serving his country in Iraq when the homeowners association in his area sold his family's house because they couldn’t pay up their debt.
It doesn't matter that they owed the association $800; they didn't have to foreclose and sell the house his wife was living in while the soldier was away fighting for the country. We suppose some folks will suggest the HOA should have extended its grace period and allowed the couple to keep their home after clearing the debt.
What to Use Instead?
Now, this is beyond outrageous because what did the homeowner association that restricted the use of hoses in its peoples' yards want them to use instead?
They probably figured folks needed to exercise, and what better way than by making trips to and from their houses carrying bucket loads of water for their grass and flowers! On second thought, could it be that they didn't want people to have green and flowery backyards? Whatever their reason for forbidding hoses, it isn't our place to tell or judge, but that's some mucked-up restriction if you ask anyone who cares for beautiful and inviting home yards.
A New Dimension of Pickiness
One of the best feelings about owning a home is the freedom that comes with it. You no longer have roommates or landlords bossing you around and trying to make decisions for you. That is until the HOA comes along and starts meddling in your affairs.
This guy had particular light bulbs that he liked, and it made sense for him to take them home. Unfortunately, the HOA was not so impressed with the color of the bulbs and recommended that he change them, much to this guy's dismay. Honestly, at this point, it feels no different than renting a house.
It Beats the Logic of Having a Home
It is well known that metal fences are much more secure than their wooden or bush counterparts. The real problem is that anyone walking past your house will have a perfect view of what is going on inside because of how transparent the chain-link fence is.
So it makes a lot of sense to at least combine chain-link fences with bushes or wood, but not for this HOA. The HOA insists on a purely meshed wire fence, which brings out the issue of privacy. Neighbors will find it fairly easy to notice that you are barbecuing or working on the lawn, which is quite the opposite of why people buy homes as privacy is always a top priority.
Caught in the Crossfire
We've seen some startling rules imposed by homeowners associations, but this is certainly one of the most absurd. The HOA insists that all fences on a property must be painted the same color and must exactly match the fences on neighboring properties.
Houses, fences, and more houses make up the intended layout of the community. Being in the middle of the row, the colors of this resident's fence matched those of their two neighbors. Since no neighboring house was the same color as theirs, they had no chance of winning. It is, therefore, no surprise that they were issued a violation in the first week of residency.
The Most Ridiculous Anti-Mat Rule
Some HOA regulations will drive you crazy if you think about them too much. We're not sure why this HOA would have such a strict and somewhat unreasonable rule because apparently, someone was instructed that welcome mats were not allowed in the area.
What if neighbors decide to cheerfully greet guests and keep dirt off their floors? What's wrong with that? The homeowners association did not specify whether it was a matter of mat color or size; they simply banned all types of mats. It's hard to find a plausible explanation for this restriction, and we're guessing the HOA just wanted to irritate residents.
Picking Up the Wrong Fight
This homeowners association decided to make the lives of their residents very miserable by picking a fight with pigeons. We understand that the overpopulation of pigeons can be quite annoying, but there has to be a better solution somewhere.
This HOA opted for the most dramatic and unfriendly option, which obviously backfired. They left poison trays all over the complex, but things went awry when a storm blew all the poison trays away. Because of this, every surface in the area became contaminated with hazardous substances, and, as a result, residents with dogs were terrified to let their canine companions roam freely.
In Pursuit of Cleanness
Based on their ridiculous requests, we can safely say that this HOA and its representation have no clue about landscaping. As soon as they realized that there was some dirt underneath the vegetation on this resident's property, they decided to take some firm action.
It is basic knowledge that organic waste improves soil fertility, resulting in healthier shrubs and more attractive hedges. Armed with this useful piece of information, this guy decided to spread mulch throughout the area, but it didn't take long for the HOA to show up. While it's acceptable for the association to want to keep the area clean, the fact that the dirt had been there for more than 10 years jeopardizes their intent.
A Huge Disappointment for Plant Lovers
Gardening has been around in homes for a long time, and it has always been a family affair. Although gardening is a place where one wants to find peace of mind away from the stresses of life, this HOA has different opinions.
The HOA went so far as to establish a landscaping committee to regulate what type of plants would be grown in the area. No one could make changes to their yard without the committee's consent, not even a few herbs or flowers. We have no idea why this strict rule exists, but it sure is a huge hurdle for plant lovers.
Stick to Conventional Energy Sources
Sometimes, the most seemingly normal things can get you in hot water with the HOA, and this guy is a good example. A dispute ensued when he decided to install solar panels on the back of his house.
Because the HOA was less than impressed with the move, they claimed it made the area less appealing to the eye. To make it even more ridiculous, the solar panels were not visible from across the street. When he realized they weren't going to back down, he referenced the relevant state law, which made them instantly change their stance. Investing in renewable energy sources has been lauded as the way forward as far as sustainable energy is concerned, and we are having trouble understanding the HOA's reason for going against the measure here.
Let's Stick to the Rules
Some people are good at following instructions to the letter, and this girl is a perfect example of that. Tasked with making sure no one took the pool's swimming equipment, she did everything in her power to make sure that didn't happen, no matter the circumstances.
Nevertheless, she faced her biggest challenge on the job when the president of the HOA demanded the same equipment she was guarding. We're not sure if the girl knew it was the president when she denied him the equipment, but the fellow took it upon himself to relay the message to the girl. In the end, she should be proud of herself for standing her ground and not bending the rules
Thou Shall Rely on Your Own Vines
It is everyone's dream to live in a home surrounded by long green vines. In addition to beautifying the home, they bring some calm and serenity to the surroundings. Surprisingly, this homeowner's association was not so happy with the trees and considered them potential incubators for unlawful acts. How odd!
The association levied a violation against this individual because his neighbor's vines were encroaching on his property. We are having a hard time understanding what the real issue is. Are they not happy that he allowed the neighbor's vines to invade his home? Are they fining him for allowing his neighbor to beautify his home?
Apartment State of Mind: 40 New York Apartment Story
Because of the city's constant activity and noise, New York City earned the moniker "the city that never sleeps." On the other hand, many of you may be unaware that some New Yorkers are unable to sleep because their apartments do not permit it. True accounts of people who have kindly discussed the life-changing events that occurred when they moved into their very first home in New York City are provided below. Keep your eyes peeled!
Brave Tenant
Although there are a lot of things, we could give up in order to save money, our health shouldn't be one of those things. And the experience of having to deal with constant itching bites at a rapid rate is one that can be detrimental to both our physical and mental well-being.
Brave Tenant
Although there are a lot of things, we could give up in order to save money, our health shouldn't be one of those things. And the experience of having to deal with constant itching bites at a rapid rate is one that can be detrimental to both our physical and mental well-being.
Therefore, we believe it takes a significant amount of bravery on the part of this renter to remain here for a total of three nights. If we were in his position and had to deal with the itch, we would demand a full refund of our money.
Too Lazy to Care
We are aware that people have a propensity to be sluggish at times, particularly over the weekend or while they are away on vacation. It ought to be possible for us to stay in our pajamas all day long and do nothing more than watch television. Having said that, it is necessary to fulfill the responsibilities that have been assigned.
In the first place, we should never put off tending to our own personal hygiene. When we read about these crazy neighbors who were too lazy to walk to the bathroom, it makes us seriously question the current state of humanity.
Underwater Home
Leaks and floods in apartments are so common that it's hardly worth mentioning them, but what this poor renter had to go through is an entirely different story and deserves its own telling. Imagine being required to constantly remove water from the rooftop of your apartment building at all hours of the night. Thank you, but no.
Even though the mental image of this guy in his robe and fireman boots desperately trying to save his belongings made us laugh, we wouldn't trade places with him for all the money in the world (well, you could, but it would cost you).
Below Decency Line
People have to get around in this section of the building design by crawling because there is not enough room for them to stand up. Imagine having to shell out $700 every month to reside in a space as congested and inconvenient as this one...
To make matters even worse, the jerk who accepted this poor deal did so ten years ago; this means that once you factor in inflation, you'll see how badly this renter was taken advantage of; in other words, you'll realize just how much this renter was duped.
Too Good to Be True
When we hear about a relationship between a renter and a landlord, our first thoughts are typical problems, negative feelings, and a lack of morals; however, this is not always the case. In some instances, a renter and landlord can have a positive relationship.
Because of the close relationship that existed between this East Harlem resident and his landlord, not only the landlord but also the landlord's entire family were in attendance at the resident's wedding. This is the definition of a residential love match made in heaven!
Ridiculously Bad
You will reach the conclusion that this person's first apartment in New York sounded like a complete and utter nightmare if you read the blog post that they wrote about it. This person wrote the post about their first apartment in New York.
We would have to leave because of the critter infestation and the noisy neighbors. If the roof started to cave in, we would definitely be looking for a new place to live. It's not hard to understand why this particular Reddit user moved out of the city.
Couch Surfing
A person who is considered to be a slacker because they spend the majority of their time lying on the couch and watching television is referred to as a "couch potato." This individual didn't turn out to be a potato, despite the fact that they had spent the previous four years sleeping on the couch.
The couch had to serve as his bed after he and his girlfriend ended their relationship, but neither of them could bring themselves to move out of their inexpensive apartment. Given that a divorced couple continued to live there for a total of four years, the landlord must have been extremely reasonable.
Luxury? Think Again!
When we think of a doorman working at a luxury apartment complex, the image that typically comes to mind is of a happy-faced man dressed in a snazzy uniform. We don't take into account how they respond when there's illegal activity going on in their building.
For the simple reason that they are entirely unique individuals in that setting. As soon as you walk into the building, the friendly smile they are known for transforms into an angry frown, and you can bet that in order for them to keep quiet, they are going to demand something in exchange for it.
Simply Unsanitary
When someone refers to a place as "a hole in the wall," they are typically referring to a modest, dingy area that has its own unique character. In this particular instance, the apartment on the ground floor had actual holes in the walls, and there was no compensating character insight.
Instead, the area was infested with cockroaches on a consistent basis and was plagued by loud golfers and leaks in the bathroom that was an odd color. It has all the makings of a poor choice for a first apartment.
Inside Out
According to one user of Reddit, the experience of actually living in a treehouse would not be nearly as exciting or romantic as the idea of doing so might imply. This person has a recollection of the time when his girlfriend lived in one.
According to him, the holes in the floors were so large that you could see into the house of the neighbor who lived below, and the only door was a sheet of cloth rather than a real door. Moreover, the only window in the house was broken. The list of all the ways in which it was terrible could go on forever, but the fact that a housing inspector ordered it to be torn down says it all.
Just Imagine Living Here
You know you've moved into a nice neighborhood when the building that houses your first apartment has a koi pond and a doorman who works around the clock. As a matter of fact, anything that involves koi is regarded as luxurious.
Just simply due to the fact that this specific fish is one of the priciest pets in the entire world. If you did get them in your first apartment in New York City, then you can count yourself among the lucky ones. Is that understandable? This location is currently on fire.
Construction McMishap
After hearing this story, you won't want to live near a McDonald's even though the restaurant is famous for making people happy with their iconic delicious staples (like the Happy Meal), but after hearing this story, you won't want to.
This New Yorker's apartment was located directly above a Micky D's restaurant, which meant that the renter above would have to deal with any disruptions caused by the restaurant whenever it was closed for maintenance. The noise eventually became intolerable, and her roommate came dangerously close to losing her sanity as a result. We are keeping our fingers crossed that McDonald's will send us a care package filled with Happy Meals as an apology for the inconvenience.
Where It All Began
Despite the fact that this renter's first apartment in New York City did not meet his expectations, he fell in love with the exciting culture of the city. After more than four years of his passionate relationship with the city, he is still here to recount its story.
In addition to this, he no longer resides in the cramped studio apartment that he used to share with a roommate. The fact that this guy and the NYU graduate did not have a romantic relationship appears to be the only thing that he regrets about their time together. We suppose that there are some things that just can't be had.
Tropical Staten Island
In spite of the fact that Staten Island has a few redeeming qualities, it is unlikely that anyone would describe it as a tropical paradise. On the other hand, after hearing how one renter described his initial residence in the area, you might form a different opinion.
After hearing about the "ocean breeze," happy kids playing, and the female neighbor with her "tropical bird on her shoulder," we are even more intrigued to find out more about this area. It's always nice to get a dose of positivity every once in a while.
Crazy Lender
Regardless of how nice the location is, if the landlord is a "nutso," your situation is pretty much hopeless. This was the situation for a renter from Staten Island who lived in St. George and was looking for housing. Even though there had been assurances that a working heater would be provided for him, he never actually got one at that location.
Another area that was planned but never constructed was the backyard. The landlord gave the impression that she spent hours everyday gardening, but in reality, she was just shoveling bags of dirt around without any particular plan in mind.
What’s That From?
The chilling account of what happened in the apartment, which will be told first, will be related next. Despite the fact that it is not unusual to hear about random leaks, the circumstances surrounding this particular leak are what drew our attention to it. In other words, we were drawn to it because it was unique.
This tenant claims that the puddle he found was not caused by a leak anywhere else in the building, including the ceiling, and he provides evidence to support his claim. Is there even the tiniest possibility that Casper, the ghost known as the Good Neighbor, has made his way back to the neighborhood?
Sketchy Stuff
The roommates you lived with during your time in an apartment are likely to be the people you remember most about the place. This individual was unable to forget his roommates because of the connection they shared with their pet fish.
Because the previous tenant had left his enormous fish tank at the apartment, the subsequent girl who moved in made the decision to feed the pets to her cat. This was due to the fact that the previous tenant had shared the apartment with him. We don't feel comfortable with that — can you imagine turning your beloved pet into a source of nourishment?
Roommate From Hell
The tale that Jenny tells about her former roommate, who lived with her in her first apartment, has got to be up there on the list of craziest roommates. Even though no one could have anticipated the stunt that he pulled, the fact that they found him on Craigslist was the first obvious red flag that should have been raised.
Imagine that the police have just called you and informed you that your crazy roommate is on the run and they want you to keep all of your doors and windows locked because they have just received a tip about him. What a precarious circumstance Jenny finds herself in right now.
Bad First Experience
When you hear about people's negative first apartment experiences, the most common reasons are bedbugs, flooding, leaky pipes, unpleasant neighbors, or just plain old boring bedbugs. When it came to this particular person, nearly everything that could possibly have gone wrong did go wrong.
The only thing that was missing from this nightmarish account was the insane neighbors who were responsible for the feces of floods, the frozen pipes, and the bedbug bites. Now, just because they aren't mentioned here does not necessarily mean that this renter did not deal with them in an appropriate manner.
Not A Perfect Apartment
If you are on a strict financial plan, you will quickly realize that there is no such thing as the perfect apartment. It is humorous that this renter remembers his first one-bedroom apartment in Rego Park, which cost him $1100 per month, as being "a solid deal." He basically lived in a shoebox in that apartment.
The fact that you have to climb up four flights of stairs every day and that you have to deal with a crazy landlord are both perks, of course. This man should be commended for looking at the situation from a positive rather than a negative perspective. He is deserving of a lot of praise and credit.
Just Your Standard Landlord
We would expect a landlord to be a little bit crazy and unprofessional based on the other stories that have been told here; however, being intoxicated on the job and falling down a flight of stairs is dramatic enough to land our next feature story.
When the landlord showed the potential tenant the rooftop of the building, the poor tenant-to-be was terrified that the landlord would fall off the building. It is to everyone's good that he did not, as a result of which nothing went wrong. He even asserted that he was too intoxicated to feel the pain of falling down the stairwell because he had consumed too much alcohol...