When a small leak turns into a flood, the damage can be devastating — especially when the people meant to help refuse to act. A post on the r/legaladvice subreddit, shared by an Oklahoma City homeowner, described how their condo association's inaction allowed a hidden slab leak to ruin their kitchen floors, damage walls, and threaten potential mold growth.
"We notified our HOA about the potential issue two days ago," the user wrote. "They dragged their feet responding until the leak came into our home today and caused massive damage."
According to the post, the condo complex shares a single water meter for four attached homes — meaning the HOA controls when water can be shut off. The owner said they repeatedly tried to reach their association to stop the flow, but were ignored until the city had to intervene.
"While we were waiting, the water kept leaking into our home, it leaked under all our wooden kitchen floors, through the base boards into the living room, and out the other side of our home into the street behind us," they explained. "Our floors are utterly destroyed, plus God knows about all the water damaged and potential mold because the water is under our floors where we can't get into it."
Across the country, similar stories have emerged as HOAs struggle or refuse to manage essential utilities, leaving residents with skyrocketing repair costs and wasted resources. Poor maintenance and outdated infrastructure can also strain local ecosystems by wasting thousands of gallons of clean water and promoting mold growth that harms air quality.
Experts say homeowners can work with their associations to prevent future damage and push for greener, cost-saving updates. You can petition your HOA to change bylaws, whether it's to modernize irrigation systems, improve drainage, or allow eco-friendly upgrades like drought-tolerant landscaping.
One commenter advised starting with the homeowner's insurance, noting that insurers often pursue reimbursement from negligent HOAs.
Get a new phone with unlimited 5G and zero activation fees — for just $40 a month Metro by T-Mobile gives you smart value, whether you need a new phone or are just looking for a better plan. This holiday season, get a free 5G phone with no activation fees, for just $40/month. That includes unlimited talk and text, already bundled with taxes and fees. Or, keep your existing phone and number and get unlimited 5G for just $25/month. Either way, enjoy T-Mobile’s Scam Shield technology at no extra cost. Plus, you can even level up to an iPhone 16e this month. Just bring your number and ID and sign up for $50 with the auto pay plan. Learn more → |
Another added, "Start with your insurance. Worry about attorneys later.."
For those looking to reduce their reliance on shared systems altogether, installing solar panels is the ultimate home energy hack — potentially bringing monthly energy costs down to near $0. EnergySage makes it easy to compare quotes from vetted local installers and save up to $10,000 on solar installations.
If buying panels isn't in the budget, leasing can still help you stabilize costs and cut pollution. Palmetto's LightReach program installs solar panels for no money down and locks in low energy rates. Pairing solar with efficient electric appliances like heat pumps — available through Mitsubishi — can make your home even more resilient and affordable to run.
|
Do you have plans to significantly renovate your home? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Yes — this year 👍 
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.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
Cool Picks
