New Neighbors

[Hayburner]

I live in a planned community with many rules that we are supposed to follow. Our homes are also very close to one another.
We do have officers that are supposed to monitor our property to make sure we are following the rules.

My last neighbors air conditioning unit was on my living side which I could not stand looking at so I received approval for a privacy fence to cost me 3k just so I did t need to see their ac unit. No biggy as it certainly improved my small view of my side yard which is where my porch is located.

New neighbors just moved in and they are very nice , the prior neighbor had some flat blocks layed on the other side of my fence to possibly put his grass mower on when not using it. Fine with me, I couldn't see it. New neighbors asked what the blocks were for I to,d them and they said they could use it for a storage unit. They assured me it would be low enough that I would not see.

Low and behold today they put up a tall plastic storage cabinet and it's definitely higher than my fence and I have a clear view of it when I'm on my porch. Their house is white, my fence is white and the darn cabinet is a dark tan which makes it even more visible to me!

They have a fenced in yard and I'm sure they don't want to see the unit in their yard area so it is sitting on those blocks on the unuseable side of their house, but I can see it!

Our HOA does not even allow us to have these type of storage. I use my porch area everyday and I really don't want to be looking at this storage unit poking over my fence!

If I mention it to the HOA committee they are not quiet about things and will probably tell them I complained and I don't want an issue with these people as they seem so nice.

How do I fix this problem without coming off as a bi@@h ?

I feel like I wasted 3k to improve my view!

[kande50]

Maybe extend your fence up right in front of the storage shed? Personally, I'd just put a large painting of something I liked to look at in front of the visible part of the shed.

[PaulaO]

Can you talk to the HOA and explain you don’t want any hard feelings between you and your neighbor? Ask them to intervene with a letter saying “we did an inspection of the community and found you are in violation yaddayaddayadda”. I’m sure the HOA wants its rules followed....

You could also talk to your neighbors saying “the HOA is really picky and you might get a big fine for the shed. Maybe you should consider taking it down.”

[Hayburner]

Paula I may mention something to the HOA officer that I am friendly with but I still don't know if I trust her not to mention my name.

I am so non confrontational that I know I could never address it with them personally. I'm just really ticked that they said it would not be higher than my fence and yet it is. If they would have bought a white one it would have blended better with their house and my fence. i hope the birds I feed poop all over it!

[PaulaO]

I’m not confrontational either. That’s what the HOA is for. I live in a townhouse. Rules are 2 pets. Well, the lady who rented the unit next to me (don’t get me started on renters) thought it would ok to have 2 Labs and. Léonburger. I was cool with it until she went away for 4 days and had someone come over twice a day to take them out. The dogs barked nonstop for those 4 days. I had to talked to her previously about the barking and her reply was “they’re a pain in the ass.” So I figured she was fine with getting a letter from the HOA that she had to get rid of one of the pains in the ass. Nope, she never spoke to me again and I didn’t care. She finally moved so she could get a third dog....

Sadly, the saying “good fences make good neighbors” isn’t working for you.

You aren’t a bitch. They are violating the rules, and breaking an unofficial promise they made to you.

[Moutaineer]

I'm not confrontational either, but in this case, I'd talk to the neighbors before the HOA. Make it clear that because you want to be a good neighbor, that you are talking to them directly (because you are sure they don't realize they are causing you personally a problem) before you escalate it to the HOA.

Then you've been the good guy and if they choose to ignore you, they are the assholes.

(And Paula, I'd have gone to the HOA about the dogs, too. People are too emotional to deal with directly when it comes to their animals.)

[blob]

I would also go to neighbors directly instead of HOA first.

"I'm guessing you don't realize, but wanted to let you know that I actually can see your storage unit over the fence. I would really appreciate it if you found a way to move it so that it wasn't so visible."

[Chancellor]

Is being able to see a storage unit over the fence really that big of a deal? I mean, barking dogs...yes.....but seeing a storage unit?

[Sunshine2Me]

I used to live in a townhome with an HOA. They walked around regularly and did inspections. I actually once got "written up" for having a grill on the side of my home, complete with photos of the beastly grill. Wasn't my grill, nor my house!

Anyway, is there any possibility they will walk around and do inspections, and that storage unit will be seen?

[Rockabilly]

Oh people. If I were friendly with them I might mention, did you know I can see your storage unit over my wall? but hey, I'm the person that didn't (so far) get her coat back so you have my sympathy.

[Hayburner]

I still haven't decided how to play this out.
I have noticed that the HOA committee has been letting some things go.

We are required to leave our post lights on from dusk to dawn, neighbor next to me has been here about a year and they don't leave theirs on, across the street they are newer maybe 6 months and they don't leave theirs on. The committee member lives 3 doors away from both these home owners.

Yet another neighbor had her landscaping getting a bit over grown and she got a letter. Someone else got a letter because their post light needed painting.

Maybe I should push a few buttons and when I do my horses blankets let them dry on my fence, LOL as we are not allowed to hang laundry outside.

We have a lot of rules some are a bit much but most seem to be abiding by them.

The section I am in is all custom built, as they weren't selling well they opened up other sections to larger builders (Ryan) and those homes do not have the same rules we have.

Chancellor, Yes, seeing their storage unit is a big deal, at least to me. We are only 15-20 feet apart if I look out my bedroom window, I see it, if I sit on my porch I see it, from my family room door I see it. We are permitted to have certain types of storage sheds in our yards but they must match the house and must be pre-approved.
Plastic storage cabinets are not allowed. As I said in a prior post, all they had to do is buy one that would not be taller than my 5 foot fence as they said they would. Or put the darn thing behind their own fence so they can look it from their porch! Grrr you would also not see it from the street.

I may just casually ask the one commmitte member if they are still doing inspections as I have noticed some things are being overlooked.

[PaulaO]

Are the board meetings open to home owners? If so, I would start attending and make yourself known. Then bring up at a meeting, hey, people are slacking off about their property. In fact, my neighbor has a shed yaddayaddayadda.

[LeoApp]

I would talk to the neighbors and say to them something like, "you probably didn't know this but that storage shed you put up is not allowed by the HOA. I wanted to let you know before the HOA gets any complaints." Something like that. Make it that you are doing it for THEM not for you.

[Koolkat]

I would talk to the neighbors and say to them something like, "you probably didn't know this but that storage shed you put up is not allowed by the HOA. I wanted to let you know before the HOA gets any complaints." Something like that. Make it that you are doing it for THEM not for you.

Allies, not antagonists. That's a good point.

[Hayburner]

After much thought, I decided to contact the board member that I talk to regularly.

I told her I really didn't want to bring this situation up, but the neighbors went against what they said they were going to place in that spot and it's also against the rules of our HOA. The HOA has to approve any type of unit placed outside the home and it must match the house. It does not allow the plastic type units. I told her I would not be mentioning this if the unit was below my fence and not visible.

I did drive around the neighborhood and only saw one other house with a tall storage cabinets on the side of their house. a few others have low cabinets that blend in with their homes. The cabinets are also not on the living side of the house next to them.

It may look nice and clean now but in a year or two it will be worn looking like the one up the street and then it will be too late for me to complain about it. I'll be stuck looking at it not them.

She asked me to get pictures and she will forward to the management company for them to address the situation by way of a letter.

I just really think this is the best way rather than talking directly to them since we already had a conversation about it and they did what worked for them with disregard to my property and view.

Thanks for everyone's input

[NancyP]

No advice at all, and I hope it gets resolved as it is really stressing you out... but this sure makes me glad I live on 80 acres in the middle of nowhere.

[Hayburner]

Board member got back to me and said she would be discussing this with the Management company and review the rules of our neighborhood.

I told her I could not get pictures as they have been home. Honestly, since she's on the board I think she should be taking the pictures.

Now they have even piled some old chairs and kids toys around the cabinet. I can't see those things unless I walk down the alley so I don't care about what I can't see.

[PaulaO]

The management company should be taking pictures and communicating with the neighbors. Your monthly assessment goes to the management company to, um, manage. They need to do their job.

[Hayburner]

Paula. Your Right!