LonelySutton
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 10, 2014
- Messages
- 721
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So I moved into a condo for the express purpose that home maintenance would be taken care of my by fees. I pay my 320 every month. But my maintenance requests are not taken care of in a timely manner. And I used to be on the board of trustees and couldn't get it done any quicker.
Last year, we changed property management firms. When we switched I told the other trustees that if this firm was bad, we should fire them too, until we found one that didn't. I am now off the board. My thinking there was that I couldn't get listened to on the board... maybe being off the board would work better. Unfortunately, no improvement. Several times I think I have been treated shabbily. In September I took time off from work for a quote on mold in my attic (attic is the condo's) first the guy didn't show, then when the work was scheduled they showed up but wouldn't do the work because they hadn't been paid. Left at the feet of "miscommunication." I finally got it done with 4 days off from my annual leave and it took over 2 years to get the mold remediated.
While the guys were up there... they noticed water penetration around a waste pipe. This was in November. I immediately notified the board and the management company and provided my home inspection which had noted it, and waited. I asked that it be taken care of before the winter.
They stalled. Including asking me to go up there and take a photo which I said wasn't my responsibility and was dangerous. The home inspection was enough to prove I wasn't crazy.
Finally another unit had water get in to their ceiling (unit owner responsibility) and called and told them. By mistake the notice went to me because I used to be on the board. Now I again asked what was going on. To wit I received a response that my issue had been looked at -- from the outside, but it couldn't be fixed due to "ice" so they recommend that it be taken care of next spring.
Um... what ice? My roof and the entire complex has NOTHING on the roof that is visible to the human eye. Last Sunday was 55 degrees out. Today it is raining ... there is no ice or snow anyplace.
As Judge Judy likes to say "don't pee on my leg and tell me its raining." I want to call her on this and send photos and say something to the effect that your excuse strains credulity... in addition I am finally at the point I am considering personally contacting the disgruntled masses (and I know who they are) and asking them if they want to form a voting block or a group to get this under control. I.e., going to war.
See right now, and at every condo I have ever been at.... the "property management company" always wins because residents don't know what is going on. And they are always around because the residents can't talk to the trustees without management being there. It usually ends up in a messy fight.
Or, I could just accept their excuse... if there is rain damage the condo's insurance will pay for it... and keep them on my side. This is likely the last maintenance thing that I need to do. That is the condo's responsibility. But clearly I don't want to have to deal with the damage to the unit.
On the other hand.... since I arrived here things have been horrible. Last year I had an ant invasion.. you could see their were coming in the front of the condo from the plants outside. All of this is condo responsibility. The condo refused to pay for it, they said, the ants were in my house my responsibility. They had no proof for that and even being on the board they wouldn't budge. So sure fine... they are fiscally responsible... um... nope they raised condo fees.
Being by myself I sort of depend on them... so should I keep my mouth shut and take their handouts or step it up and make it clear if they don't do what is needed I will be in their face.
Last year, we changed property management firms. When we switched I told the other trustees that if this firm was bad, we should fire them too, until we found one that didn't. I am now off the board. My thinking there was that I couldn't get listened to on the board... maybe being off the board would work better. Unfortunately, no improvement. Several times I think I have been treated shabbily. In September I took time off from work for a quote on mold in my attic (attic is the condo's) first the guy didn't show, then when the work was scheduled they showed up but wouldn't do the work because they hadn't been paid. Left at the feet of "miscommunication." I finally got it done with 4 days off from my annual leave and it took over 2 years to get the mold remediated.
While the guys were up there... they noticed water penetration around a waste pipe. This was in November. I immediately notified the board and the management company and provided my home inspection which had noted it, and waited. I asked that it be taken care of before the winter.
They stalled. Including asking me to go up there and take a photo which I said wasn't my responsibility and was dangerous. The home inspection was enough to prove I wasn't crazy.
Finally another unit had water get in to their ceiling (unit owner responsibility) and called and told them. By mistake the notice went to me because I used to be on the board. Now I again asked what was going on. To wit I received a response that my issue had been looked at -- from the outside, but it couldn't be fixed due to "ice" so they recommend that it be taken care of next spring.
Um... what ice? My roof and the entire complex has NOTHING on the roof that is visible to the human eye. Last Sunday was 55 degrees out. Today it is raining ... there is no ice or snow anyplace.
As Judge Judy likes to say "don't pee on my leg and tell me its raining." I want to call her on this and send photos and say something to the effect that your excuse strains credulity... in addition I am finally at the point I am considering personally contacting the disgruntled masses (and I know who they are) and asking them if they want to form a voting block or a group to get this under control. I.e., going to war.
See right now, and at every condo I have ever been at.... the "property management company" always wins because residents don't know what is going on. And they are always around because the residents can't talk to the trustees without management being there. It usually ends up in a messy fight.
Or, I could just accept their excuse... if there is rain damage the condo's insurance will pay for it... and keep them on my side. This is likely the last maintenance thing that I need to do. That is the condo's responsibility. But clearly I don't want to have to deal with the damage to the unit.
On the other hand.... since I arrived here things have been horrible. Last year I had an ant invasion.. you could see their were coming in the front of the condo from the plants outside. All of this is condo responsibility. The condo refused to pay for it, they said, the ants were in my house my responsibility. They had no proof for that and even being on the board they wouldn't budge. So sure fine... they are fiscally responsible... um... nope they raised condo fees.
Being by myself I sort of depend on them... so should I keep my mouth shut and take their handouts or step it up and make it clear if they don't do what is needed I will be in their face.