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We recently moved to McKinney. Our new neighbors are one of those "boomerang" families... grandma & grandpa's house, 3 grown children (1 married) moved back home, 3 grandchildren. Too many cars, not enough parking - for convenience sake.
One of them park in front of our house. At first, it didn't bother me. But we have home mail delivery and they park to block the mailbox. On days they parked there, we didn't get mail. So I stopped the postal worker... yep, he hasn't been able to get to the mailbox.
I mentioned it to Grandma who said she'd take care of it. Car didn't move that day or night. Following morning when they left for work, we parked one of OUR cars in front of the house (taking care not to block the mailbox). We don't generally use that car, so we're leaving it there now. When we need to use it, we move the other one out of the driveway and "save" the spot.
The neighbors have started complaining to other neighbors about it too... my daughter went over to ask one of the grandkids to play the other day and was told that her mommy was inconsiderate and should start parking in her own driveway. My daughter came home right away and told me this. I exercised self control though and didn't point out that the other little girl's mommy should start acting like a grown up and support herself versus living off mom and dad...
In any case, it is NOT MY PROBLEM that it is inconvenient for them to have to move cars around when someone wants to leave. (Their driveway holds 4 cars, they have a 2 car garage and parking for two in front of their house too).
It is amazing how some people can act. They expect everyone around them to just accomodate them no matter what. What a bunch of selfish brats some people are raising and then those selfish brats are raising more "entitled" selfish brats all mooching off of anyone that will give in to them.
I'd do the same thing you are........ park in front of my own house just to tick them off after that. I'd be ticked too if they would not move their car so that the mail can get delivered. Heck, I've got 8 vehicles (2 drivers) and I can fill up the entire street. Yet not one single vehicle gets parked IN the street and only 1 in the drive. The rest are in a garage. But we were fortunate and have the room for an 8-car garage. Oh, and that includes SeaDoo's as well that are kept IN the garage. I hated parking 2 cars and sometimes 3 in the street in front of our own house during some of the construction phase we just finished w/ the garage because I didn't want to upset the neighbors......... and we were not even parked in front of any of their houses. But we would rather had our cars out there than the construction trucks. We made sure they did NOT block the alley way EVER and made sure they only parked in our driveway or in front of our house. We didn't want to inconvience the neighbors at all and I did make one of the concrete trucks move so that a neighbor could get out of her drive even though she said she had plenty of time to wait till they were done w/ that pour. I think that makes all the difference in the world in how neighbors like each other. If your considerate and mindful of how you are impacting THEIR enjoyment of their own property you get a lot of respect back even when something comes up that might inconvience them for a bit.
So, if you need a few extra cars to park in front of your house just to tick'em off some more.......... I have a few I's bad........
For the record, if we would not have had the room for all of the cars here at our house in a garage we would have paid for a storage facility for them or moved to a home that would accomodate them. I would NOT have stayed in a house that would have made us keep more than 1 car outside in the drive or street. And none of these are old junkers or work vehicles either. Most of the neighbors are actually "in" to them as well and like talking about them. No cars on blocks around here or parked in the grass either.
Nope, told her in the morning, BEFORE that day's mail delivery.
They have ample parking on/in front of their OWN property, but that would require that they block THEIR mailbox, or require someone else to get off their butt once in awhile and move a car for someone else... something we already know they are too lazy to do.
Your story implied that it was after the mail had been delivered.
I stand by my opinion. You have to live next door to these people until somebody moves and even after the boomerang kids move, you still have to live next door to their mother. Please try to remember that.
I didn't try the police thing. I did call the HOA to see if they'd do anything if it happens again, but we're just renters and they are owners, so no. They told us that in their by-laws, owners have precedence.
Next year, we'll be buying a house. Not in this HOA, not with the way we were treated. Those "kids" (our age, btw) will probably still be living with mom & dad though.
But they are getting their "revenge"... filed a complaint with the HOA that we are using their trash cans. HOA code enforcement came and "reappropriated" one of our two cans - I have to fight it out Monday morning... I ordered (and can prove that I am paying for) the extra can from the city.
Think after I prove they are liars the HOA will take our side? Probably not.
At this point, I wouldn't move my car for anything.
And before you start in about the grandkids... no big loss there. The kids are rarely there. Daycare. They won't even be attending the nearest school, so that shouldn't be a problem. Their parents got them into schools more convenient to the summer daycare center they attend.
I didn't try the police thing. I did call the HOA to see if they'd do anything if it happens again, but we're just renters and they are owners, so no. They told us that in their by-laws, owners have precedence.
Next year, we'll be buying a house. Not in this HOA, not with the way we were treated. Those "kids" (our age, btw) will probably still be living with mom & dad though.
But they are getting their "revenge"... filed a complaint with the HOA that we are using their trash cans. HOA code enforcement came and "reappropriated" one of our two cans - I have to fight it out Monday morning... I ordered (and can prove that I am paying for) the extra can from the city.
Think after I prove they are liars the HOA will take our side? Probably not.
At this point, I wouldn't move my car for anything.
And before you start in about the grandkids... no big loss there. The kids are rarely there. Daycare. They won't even be attending the nearest school, so that shouldn't be a problem. Their parents got them into schools more convenient to the summer daycare center they attend.
The owners of your home have a right to have the governing documents of the association enforced. I think that you should contact them and ask them to contact the management company. Technically, the management company is right, as their relationship is with the members (owners) of the association. Your relationship is with your landlord, the owner (member of the assocaition). If they had the request from the owner of your home, they couldn't just blow them off, as they are members of the association, too.
I didn't try the police thing. I did call the HOA to see if they'd do anything if it happens again, but we're just renters and they are owners, so no. They told us that in their by-laws, owners have precedence.
Next year, we'll be buying a house. Not in this HOA, not with the way we were treated. Those "kids" (our age, btw) will probably still be living with mom & dad though.
But they are getting their "revenge"... filed a complaint with the HOA that we are using their trash cans. HOA code enforcement came and "reappropriated" one of our two cans - I have to fight it out Monday morning... I ordered (and can prove that I am paying for) the extra can from the city.
Think after I prove they are liars the HOA will take our side? Probably not.
At this point, I wouldn't move my car for anything.
And before you start in about the grandkids... no big loss there. The kids are rarely there. Daycare. They won't even be attending the nearest school, so that shouldn't be a problem. Their parents got them into schools more convenient to the summer daycare center they attend.
Wow, I am so glad my neighborhood does not have an HOA. But a lot of those northern suburb folks do think that renters are scum, mud stuck on their shoes, a fly buzzing around their heads. Luckily, the HOA where I am currently renting (I am moving into my new house in 5 days) treats my concerns the same way that they treat the concerns of the owners, but this is scummy old Dallas.
Of course your neighbors are getting their "revenge". Neighbor War has been declared and you have been willing to play along. It does not matter who started it but unless you want it to get worse, I think you should suck it up and be the adult in this scenario and do what you can to nip it in the bud. Otherwise it looks as if they can make your life miserable with the HOA's blessing.
It does not matter who started it but unless you want it to get worse, I think you should suck it up and be the adult in this scenario and do what you can to nip it in the bud.
No, I get that, but I do not want to go without regular mail delivery. Unless I'm willing to compromise on that (which I'm not), there's no real solution.
I'm hoping that being able to prove they're actually LYING will help. If not, I'm going to look into other legal avenues. My father suggested threatening a defamation lawsuit and charging the HOA with theft of the extra trash can.
We haven't even been here a month! It's ridiculous!
But it does prove why you should NEVER buy first in a new town/state... always rent. This place looked AWESOME at first. Now, I KNOW I don't want to live near these people/this HOA.
It does not matter who started it but unless you want it to get worse, I think you should suck it up and be the adult in this scenario and do what you can to nip it in the bud.
No, I get that, but I do not want to go without regular mail delivery. Unless I'm willing to compromise on that (which I'm not), there's no real solution.
Nor should you, but if they ever do it again just call the police. Playing musical cars clearly has not improved relations with them. I also can't believe that the HOA would not do anything about a neighbor parking in front of your mailbox. I once visited a friend in an HOA-controlled neighborhood in McKinney and, since it was after dark and I planned to only be there a few hours, I parked in front of the mailbox as it was the only spot available anywhere near his front door. I came back out to an extremely ugly sticker pasted over the driver's side of my windshield ordering me to "cease and desist" parking in front of mailboxes and it even threatened fines. I thought about informing them that with that sticker pasted over the driver's side I could not see to move my car but I don't think it would have mattered to them. Luckily the sticker came off easily and I left it wadded up in the street. But when I visit that particular friend I no longer park in front of the mailbox. Sheesh.
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I'm hoping that being able to prove they're actually LYING will help. If not, I'm going to look into other legal avenues. My father suggested threatening a defamation lawsuit and charging the HOA with theft of the extra trash can.
We haven't even been here a month! It's ridiculous!
That is a ridiculous situation but I do not think you will get anywhere with a lawsuit and as soon as you threaten anyone with one, any chance of cooperation and a friendly resolution will be gone. Your lawsuit against an individual for "defamation" is likely to be thrown out and your lawsuit against the HOA, if it was not thrown out, could drag on for a while, assuming you even have the right to sue the HOA. You may be forced into mediation instead which could end up costing you money. How long is your lease? I hope it's only for a year.
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But it does prove why you should NEVER buy first in a new town/state... always rent. This place looked AWESOME at first. Now, I KNOW I don't want to live near these people/this HOA.
You did the right thing, renting was smart. Even though you now know where you do not want to live, if you want to remain in Collin County the odds are very good that you will end up in a neighborhood with an equally overbearing HOA. Even if you read their bylaws before buying, you won't know how bad it can get until you move in. My neighborhood does not have an HOA and it does not need one. None of the houses have been painted purple and nobody parks RVs on their lawns.
The owners of your home have a right to have the governing documents of the association enforced. I think that you should contact them and ask them to contact the management company. Technically, the management company is right, as their relationship is with the members (owners) of the association. Your relationship is with your landlord, the owner (member of the assocaition). If they had the request from the owner of your home, they couldn't just blow them off, as they are members of the association, too.
The owner should know that their neighbors are causing problems and could become a sticking point to them being able to keep good renters. The HOA can not deny the actual owner of the property their rights. The owner could call them up and demand that the HOA do something about it or they will seek legal help because of the HOA's bully actions w/ the renters and allowing this other owner to behave like this. Heck, it might even be in the bylaws how many people can live in a house in that subdivision.
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Originally Posted by BigDGeek
It does not matter who started it but unless you want it to get worse, I think you should suck it up and be the adult in this scenario and do what you can to nip it in the bud. Otherwise it looks as if they can make your life miserable with the HOA's blessing.
Good luck.
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Originally Posted by sskkc
No, I get that, but I do not want to go without regular mail delivery. Unless I'm willing to compromise on that (which I'm not), there's no real solution.
I'm hoping that being able to prove they're actually LYING will help.
But it does prove why you should NEVER buy first in a new town/state... always rent. This place looked AWESOME at first. Now, I KNOW I don't want to live near these people/this HOA.
That is the point. You went over first and asked them to move the car so that you could get mail delivery. They KNEW you were not getting your mail delivered and you just asking them to move it so that you could pissed them off. These sound like the type of people they have zilch regard for anyone else period. It would not have mattered if you had first gone over to ask about the car being moved and offered to move it yourself and had been carrying a cake, a case of coke's and a slab of ribs. They still would have gotten ticked. You were being the adult in the situation by going over and simply asking them to move their car so you could get mail delivery. They are being the spoiled bratty children in all of this. Especially calling the HOA about you having a second trash can. And what business does the HOA have to do w/ the trash cans anyway as they come from the city. I'd be REALLY TICKED on that one as well. Do what some friends of ours did....... they spray painted their names on them as they had neighborhood hoodlums stealing them and rolling them out into the busy street nearby and setting them on fire.
I'd get on the phone to the owner and let them know these neighbors are causing all kinds of problems and the HOA wants them to be the one to take care of it and not you as the renter. Let them know you'd be happy to do it for them but the HOA won't talk to you as you "only rent" and are not the owner. BTW, my sis lives in McKinney in Stonebridge and they have a neighbor that sounds just like yours. They have the entire extended family all living there w/ multiple vehicles and one broke down truck. HOA won't do anything about it. LOL!!!
HOA hasn't responded to me yet. Yesterday was trash day. It might escalate things, but we went and took our extra trash can back from the neighbors since they had it out (HOA Code enforcement didn't just take our extra can last week, they gave it to the neighbor who alleged that I stole it from them).
I took photos of the front of the house with the cans out too... before I took it from theirs and then again, after I went and got it. They have clearly marked serial numbers, which did show up in the photos.
Nothing yet from the neighbors either. We also left the house for a few hours yesterday afternoon and just left the front of the house unblocked, hoping they would park in front of the mailbox, but when we came back, there were only two cars at their house, neither in front of mine... I was kinda hoping to get to call the HOA to say they were in front of our mailbox and to take photos this time... I think it might help me eventually.
BTW... our property manager hasn't responded to my email explaining our side either. I once again (in the email) asked for a copy of the HOA by-laws. We also took several photos around the neighborhood yesterday of all the homes with two city trash cans . I made sure all addresses were clear in the photos. I don't know what I'll do with these at this point, but I figured it couldn't hurt to have them. I plan on taking photos of our house too everyday (the complaint also stated that our yard is "full of trash").
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My daughter came home right away and told me this. I exercised self control though and didn't point out that the other little girl's mommy should start acting like a grown up and support herself versus living off mom and dad... 
I's bad........ 
Otherwise it looks as if they can make your life miserable with the HOA's blessing.
