Do we have any HOA experts here?

Grabber

Oh Hai
Dec 11, 2007
4,363
860
Wheeling, IL
Yes, homeowners association.

Trying to get some advice to see if I even have a shot at some compensation of some kind.

Long story short, this past weekend, I spent hours outside cleaning the exterior of the windows on Saturday. Come Sunday afternoon, we get a piece of paper taped to our garage door saying that on Monday (yesterday) the association is having power-washing down in preparation for painting.

Powerwashing gets done, there are huge streaks of dirt and grime on ALL of our windows now. So, less than 24 hours notice on a Sunday, our work cleaning the windows is a waste and now they look like shit. First email from the property manager said we are basically SOL since they were not aware of our window cleaning. It is not our job nor their concern when we do something like that.

Do I have a leg to stand on to bargain with them? Oh there is a slue of other things that they won't do. Our driveway is a disaster. Cracks in the blacktop everywhere, sealed every other year, hasn't been fixed in the 4+ years we've lived there, etc.

But, that's a different issue we are working on.
 

jason05gt

TCG Elite Member
Jan 17, 2007
15,307
7,195
Naperville
First, did your HOA give your prior notice to the work being performed? My parents belong to two HOA's and they always give advance notice. It's usually in the monthly meeting minutes that are provided to the homeowners.

If so, IMO you have no leg to stand on. If they didn't give you notice, send the HOA Board a note and see what they can do to help. You'll spend more in legal fees than it will be to pay someone to professional clean your windows. My .02
 

boostedguy05

not well known
TCG Premium
Dec 18, 2010
34,180
25,511
The HOA contractor needs to leave your property in as good of shape, or better than when they arrived. If your windows were clean and are now dirty, then the hoa, or its contractor "should" come fix the issue. You may have to bitch A LOT to get something done. It all depends on the person you are talking to.
 

Grabber

Oh Hai
Dec 11, 2007
4,363
860
Wheeling, IL
First, did your HOA give your prior notice to the work being performed? My parents belong to two HOA's and they always give advance notice. It's usually in the monthly meeting minutes that are provided to the homeowners.

If so, IMO you have no leg to stand on. If they didn't give you notice, send the HOA Board a note and see what they can do to help. You'll spend more in legal fees than it will be to pay someone to professional clean your windows. My .02

They notified us with a piece of paper taped to our garage door on Sunday, June 11th, that power washing would be done on Monday, June 12th. The notification wasn't on our garage until the mid-PM's of the afternoon when our indoor camera spotted someone. That's less than 24HR notice.

My in-laws belong to an HOA and three of my friends do. All of their associations give a minimum of 48HRS of any work to be done

The HOA contractor needs to leave your property in as good of shape, or better than when they arrived. If your windows were clean and are now dirty, then the hoa, or its contractor "should" come fix the issue. You may have to bitch A LOT to get something done. It all depends on the person you are talking to.

I agree with "should" but, I want to get something more concrete than that.

The property manager is difficult, usually takes days to respond to anything, etc.

FWIW - HOA is Foster Premiere. Horrible reviews on google and yelp all around.
 

Gone_2022

TCG Elite Member
Sep 4, 2013
13,094
7,525
From what I read I don't think you have much to stand on, and I feel it's a little petty.

Let me explain I'm not trying to be a dick.

You cleaned your windows Saturday. Then you said Sunday they notified you that Monday they would be power washing or whatever for Monday. So there was advance notice.

It's unfortunate that you just washed your windows but they didn't know that. Also we are not talking about permanent damage here, just some dirt.

I would just reclean your windows and end it. Your going to stress yourself out and put up a huge fight over something that can be cleaned with some windex and a nice glass of vodka for yourself.

Just my 2 cents
 

Grabber

Oh Hai
Dec 11, 2007
4,363
860
Wheeling, IL
From what I read I don't think you have much to stand on, and I feel it's a little petty.

Let me explain I'm not trying to be a dick.

You cleaned your windows Saturday. Then you said Sunday they notified you that Monday they would be power washing or whatever for Monday. So there was advance notice.

It's unfortunate that you just washed your windows but they didn't know that. Also we are not talking about permanent damage here, just some dirt.

I would just reclean your windows and end it. Your going to stress yourself out and put up a huge fight over something that can be cleaned with some windex and a nice glass of vodka for yourself.

Just my 2 cents

I understand where you're coming from.

Notifying us on a Sunday afternoon that on Monday morning, work would be done.

After several hours of work, it's shitty that I have to redo it. Last year, it was over $200 for a company to do it (we have 17 oversized windows)

Who puts a piece of paper on a garage door on a Sunday? What if we were out of town, come home Monday morning to see this? I feel notice should be given at least a week in advance and during the BUSINESS week.

If you brought your brand new car in for service after having it professionally detailed, and the dealership left the car completely filthy, muddy, etc. would you bitch about it? Same concept, only I pay myself to do work on my things. Time is money, they say.
 

jason05gt

TCG Elite Member
Jan 17, 2007
15,307
7,195
Naperville
They notified us with a piece of paper taped to our garage door on Sunday, June 11th, that power washing would be done on Monday, June 12th. The notification wasn't on our garage until the mid-PM's of the afternoon when our indoor camera spotted someone. That's less than 24HR notice.

My in-laws belong to an HOA and three of my friends do. All of their associations give a minimum of 48HRS of any work to be done

Did you check your board "minutes"? I'd venture that it was mentioned in there quite a bit of time ago. For example, the roads in my parent's property in Wisconsin were scheduled to be resurfaced in early June. It was discussed months ago to get the budget/contractor approved, the residents were reminded in last May's meeting minutes, and a notice was posted before work started. If this type of communication isn't occurring, you should bring it to the attention of the board (or run yourself to change stuff).
 

Grabber

Oh Hai
Dec 11, 2007
4,363
860
Wheeling, IL
Did you check your board "minutes"? I'd venture that it was mentioned in there quite a bit of time ago. For example, the roads in my parent's property in Wisconsin were scheduled to be resurfaced in early June. It was discussed months ago to get the budget/contractor approved, the residents were reminded in last May's meeting minutes, and a notice was posted before work started. If this type of communication isn't occurring, you should bring it to the attention of the board (or run yourself to change stuff).

so, what we read was a new published policy book. Original was from 2000 and only updated in 2017.

However, their specifics stated "in 2017, this and this will happen"

Not specific months or dates. Just years.

Oh, in case anyone still thinks it is petty, we pay $355 a month.........

Not petty when we pay this kind of money only to get shat on.
 

Flyn

Go ahead. I'll catch up.
Moderator
TCG Premium
Mar 1, 2004
68,052
27,984
Selling homes on the Gulf Coast of Florida
Read your HOA docs. If they say notice must be given XX hours in advance, you may have a violation.

If they don't say anything, you can bitch and ask for the HOA to have the pw company come out and clean your windows. The pw company may do it for the good will with the HOA.

One sneaky thing to check is to see if the pw company did more/better work on the board members home(s). If they obviously did, you have some leverage.
 

Gav'sPurpleZ

If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail
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Mar 3, 2008
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Pingree Grove IL
The way the mgmt company explained it to me ( and 2 other homeowners who actually went to the meeting ) is that any type of exterior "maintenance" or upgrade" has to be run by the management company first.

they have to make sure it's within the rules of the community and township.

1 lady has her house powerwashed 2x a year. They told her she technically cannot do that.
why ?
well, if she has chipping paint on her columns, and the PW makes it worse, she doesnt paint and then sells the house... the new owner can call and complain that the wood is rotting away...

it's BS, I can't wait to GTFO
 

Grabber

Oh Hai
Dec 11, 2007
4,363
860
Wheeling, IL
^^^ Yeah, so far, they suck.

I wish I knew where the board members lived, that would be great.

Going to review the policy tonight and read the rules. Maybe there is a loop hole or something. I'm just tired of forking out so much money every month to have the exterior of our home they say they are responsible for that is never maintained.

Typically, we receive letters in the mail a week or two before something like mulch is laid down, seal coating down, etc.

Not even on our door. On our garage door, nonetheless.
 

importcrew

Forum Sponsor
TCG Premium
Jan 26, 2008
14,508
4,150
Hampshire
I'm sure they put it on the garage door as most people use their garage to enter/exit their house.

When we do concrete work in a subdivision, most people are gone. If mail hasn't been picked up, we'll leave a note in the mailbox (screw the law), but if we can, we'll knock or talk to the homeowners if possible if it's short notice. We'll then tape a note at their door AND garage (if we can't put it in the mailbox and nobody is home) so they have a better chance st seeing the note.


Read the rules and see if there's supposed to be advanced notice and if it's within the specified time frame. But it may be a case of being SOL.
 

boostedguy05

not well known
TCG Premium
Dec 18, 2010
34,180
25,511
if they power washed the siding, and yur windows are now filthy, i would guess it was a shitty power wash job, and the siding would still be dirty as well. would be grounds for them to come out and wash the house again. HOA should be on your side for thsi against the wash company.
 
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