Every environment, residential area, selected community, estate, or anywhere legally accepted for people to live in has a union or a body that is dully in charge of how things are done and what should be done as at when due and the proper ways of doing them.
Most of them are referred to as the Home Owners Association (HOA), which is the body that regulates rent, dues, and other amenities that may come up for the residents of the environment.
These dues are to be paid at the end of each month or annually depending on the arrangement.
HOA happens to be an association that is made up of people who own houses in that same locality, who came together to form the association in order to regulate how things should be done and to ensure that everyone lives in harmony.
It is also a place where people easily channel their complaints and aggrievances if any, either within the environment or from outside the environment.
What is HOA
The HOA is basically a planned organization usually seen in different subdivisions, planned communities, estates, residential areas, or condominium buildings.
Their sole aim and responsibilities include and are not limited to makings laws for residents, enforcing the same laws for the residents.
Basically, when you get to buy a land or a property in a place where there is an HOA, you would automatically become a member of the HOA in that environment, and you would always be required as a member of the HOA, to pay certain dues either monthly or annually depending on the HOA, and the dues are known as HOA dues.
In an HOA, not every member of the HOA, would be in the executive committee despite the fact that everyone who owns property there is automatically a member.
There are always selected members known as the board of directors or governors, and their duties are to enforce and implement the rules and laws of the HOA.
The HOA rules are usually known as the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC &Rs). In this document are certain things like restrictions of infrastructure like the type of fence to be built, the color of paint that must be used in the environment, etc.
How to Legally Annoy Your HOA
Here are the best ways to legally annoy your HOA:
1. Putting up Religious Signs
Religion is a fundamental right of every human and no one has the right to restrict you or tell you what religion you must belong to or how to participate in your chosen religion.
Certain HOA’s would not be comfortable when they see any of the religious signs in their environment, but it been your fundamental right, they cannot ask you to put it down.
2. Requesting for Copies of Statement
Being a member of an HOA and also contributing to every one of the dues paid in the HOA, you do have all the rights to ask for copies of statements of what the money was used for, how they were used, and what projects were carried out, including the balance in the HOA treasury.
This is one of the most annoying things in an HOA because most of them do not take time in having accurate records of finance and what the money was used for.
3. Planting
If in your locality the native laws protect the planting of trees or any native plants, then you can wake up one morning and decide to turn your yard into a jungle of its own.
Your HOA cannot ask you to stop because the laws protect you and what you are doing in your compound. So, you have the right to this in case your HOA raises any objections against you doing so.
4. Solar Panels of TV Satellite Investment
Every federal law is in support of this, and no HOA can restrict you from putting up such investment because the federal laws supersede any other laws in the country.
This is something that many HOAs would not be able to stand against but within them, they are really not comfortable with you doing such.
5. Going through Contracts before Signing
Most people make certain mistakes when it comes to this, it is unfortunate that many people tend to be busy and go straight in signing contracts they may at the end of the day bring up issues.
So, you should always try and go through contracts given to you by your HOA and point out certain clauses that your federal laws do not support, this is another way to legally annoy your HOA.
6. Overuse of Amenities
In many HOA’s you would see things like gyms, pools, parks, and other social amenities. You can decide to be using it more than anyone in the community and no one has the right to stop you from doing so as long as you are not spoiling it. they would only get bitter but cannot stop you from making use of it.
7. Going to Court
In most cases, it is very difficult to do this because of the expenses that would be incurred, but you can decide to do it and bring to the notice of the court certain ordinances that contravene the federal law of your country. This is one of the best ways to annoy your HOA legally and legally win a lawsuit against the HOA.
Final Thoughts
It is interesting to know that you have your own rights which cannot be trampled on by your HOA because most of them are fundamental and legally backed up by federal laws. If you live in an HOA where you feel like your rights are being abused, or you are not given the freedom to express them, you can use the listed avenues to legally annoy your HOA and you will be legally backed up by federal laws and win over them.
