How to resolve a builder error from 15 years ago.

[tranquility]

Ahaha... I used to have a little dog that I walk around the neighborhood, but that cute little fur ball won't threaten anyone.

And yeah actually, I do want to have a good relationship with them. Always better to have friends right? Which is why I am offering to pay half! The situation is slightly better, I didn't mention that I already moved out to another house and this place is now just a rental unit, so I won't be facing the neighbor. However I still do want to maintain a good relationship with them, so if my tenants are doing something crazy they can warn me.

All your comments made me feel better. As far as I know I am already trying to play nice, even though the neighbor doesn't seem to think so. All your thoughts helped reassure I am being reasonable.

While looking fearsome, the dogs are sweeties. I was referring to forgetting to bring pick-up bags every once in a while.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

It is a great time to do it and get your freon recharged.

 

[NeedSomeHelpFor]

Update to this dispute

Ok. So, after I tried to offer for paying half, and my neighbor refused to accept the offer and insists me paying the full 250 (Just a reminder, the full cost of the task was 500, HOA agreed to pay half, and I am proposing me and my neighbor to split the remaining 250), I haven't heard from anyone for awhile. Now 3+ months later, I got an HOA bill, that just slapped an additional 250 onto my account.

I'm wondering what my options are here. I talked to the community management company, the company that the HOA hired to do these accounting stuff, and he says there's not much he can do as it's the HOA board of director's joint decision that I should pay for it. And the HOA board of director, consists of only 3 people; my neighbor, and her 2 buddies (I assume.. since they have these monthly dinners.)

The amount is pretty small, so it's not really about the money here, it's just not fair that I am paying for 100% of the cost to fix a problem that I didn't cause, whereas my neighbor who caused the problem is not paying anything. The community management company says to fight this I'd have to attend the HOA meetings. The meeting is during the time when I need to pick up kids, it's 30 mins drive away, basically a waste of 2+ hours of my life and probably not worth $125). And even if I go, this board is clearly not neutral and likely it'll me against 3 others unreasonable people, so it'll be a waste of time there too.

What if I just don't pay this extra fine? (Or actually, what I am considering doing is, to just send a check for $125, the amount that I am responsible for.) What rights do they have to just slap fees onto my account that I didn't agree to? And what can they do to me if I don't pay the unreasonable 125?

Thank you for any advice.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

The reality of life is that sometimes you're the bug and sometimes you're the windshield.