A tenant in Brussels went to Reddit asking for help amid a disturbing situation caused by a landlord-ordered project.
Their post explained that the landlord gave a two-day notice before exterior construction for new roof insulation began on their home in the Belgian capital. Fast forward to almost 40 days later, and the job still wasn't done.
Besides the inconvenient timeline, the workers were disrespectful to the property, not cleaning up after themselves, breaking things, and leaving trash in the yard. The biggest concern, however, was that the garden was destroyed.
"They are doing poor work and don't respect us," the Redditor wrote.
What was once an area of joy was now a field of mud and a point of frustration. When the tenant brought up the trampled garden with the landlord, their dismissive response was, "It will grow back," an answer that takes zero accountability or responsibility for the state of affairs.
Unfortunately, most HOAs don't hold gardens near and dear to their hearts the way many tenants do. Landscaping tends to be a major point of contention between tenants and landlords who are infamous for preventing renters from adopting money-saving, eco-friendly lifestyle changes.
They often have rules that damage gardens and landscaping or get in the way of upgrades like solar panels — and they have the power to make drastic changes without any input from a tenant.
Roughly 74 million Americans live in communities run by HOAs, according to the Foundation for Community Association Research. iPropertyManagement reported that more than a third of the United States population are renters.
For tenants who find themselves in a similar situation, there are ways to navigate lease agreements and restrictions if you know where to start and are open to working with your landlord towards amicable rule changes.
The post attracted all sorts of input and empathy.
"40 days and half way to insulate a roof? You live in Notre Dame?" one user asked sarcastically.
"Keep taking pictures!" another user suggested.
"I'd recommend visiting a legal advisor," one comment strongly advised.
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