Homeowner frustrated after enduring over a year of inaction from HOA: 'Wouldn't this be negligence at this point?'

One frustrated condo owner in Minnesota didn't know what to do after being ignored by their homeowners association while their home deteriorated around them.

"My condo is experiencing internal water damage from a broken gutter above my window," explained the owner in a post on r/HOA. "The HOA has been made aware several times, starting a year ago."

Despite making the governing association aware, no repairs had been made at the time of the post. "The board has approved work to be done to address it, but after two more months, nothing has been scheduled by the management company hired," they said.

This is leading to way more damage than the original broken gutter. "Every time it rains I have significant water infiltration (gallons when it's heavy) and I now have damage to the drywall and wood floors," they explained. "It also appears there is likely mold growing in the wall."

Given that this could have been a simple fix that used nothing more than a length of gutter material, letting the issue get this bad was very wasteful of the HOA. The amount of wood and drywall that would be needed to fix the house increases the burden on the original poster and on the environment.

As the Earth's rising temperature makes heavy weather and storm damage more common, individuals and organizations need cost-effective and responsible ways to deal with the damage — and this isn't it.

Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home's indoor air quality?

The original poster hoped there was a way to hold their HOA responsible. "When I asked the management company where the liability for the internal damage lies, they said with my insurance company... but honestly, wouldn't this be negligence at this point?" they asked.

Commenters thought the insurance company might still be the best bet even if that was the case. "File a claim with your insurance company. Tell them the whole story. Let them go after your HOA," said one user.

Another option to prevent these problems in the future is to use the HOA's process for changing rules about how repairs are handled.

Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden?

Yes 💯

Only if it impacts your neighbors 🏘️

Depends on what you're growing 🌼

Heck no 🙅

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.