HOA's Suck!

Well at least mine does. We live in an older neighbor with even older standards and rules enforced by a bunch of a-holes as a Board of Director's. The Shady Hollow HOA can't seem to upgrade the way access to the pool is made. Every year you have to write them a check for $100 which they cash in order to get a pool key. At the end of the year you return the key and get $100 back. Why they can't upgrade to a key-card which they could just log out someone who doesn't pay is beside me.

Well this year I was late in returning the key. The lady at the office said for me to write a letter to the board explaining why and to ask for leniency. OK. I did that. And that on 12/17 the board would make a decision. This morning I get a phone call explaining that a decision had been made and a schedule has been approved for those who turn the key in late. Subtract $25 for every week late and that's what you get back. Did they even read my letter? Do they really need another $100 to $25?

So now i'm pissed and go up to the board to return my key. There's one guy who's always in there who is a total jack ass always willing to make a comment even if your not talking to him. And i think great, here it comes. I return the key, sign the receipt and the receptionist says that they will mail be a check for the difference next week. To which I respond that I am not interested in a refund that if the board deems it necessary to keep my money and if they need it that bad, they can have it. Jack-ass chimes in with "well we have to send them out, I guess you can just not cash it?" in a tone like what kind of asshole doesn't cash a check? To which I said, so there's no way to not have a check sent to my house, I don't want a refund. "No".

The lady asks if I enjoyed going to the pool this year? I said "I don't go down there very often and actually wished that we had never joined the HOA for just this reason." We have some neighbors that built a very nice fence that they had to re-do because someone on the board figured out it didn't meet the requirements of the HOA when it comes to fences. Well my neighbors had to get a lawyer to keep the board from harassing them. They then went a changed the fence at an added expense. Next the HOA will probably try to take down some veteran's flag pole.

So i guess the check is coming, which i am going to return. Because this is about principle. If they want to stick to me, then do it! Don't humor me by sending some of the money back. Take it all you greedy jerks. Oh, and Merry Christmas!