HOA's should be OUTLAWED!

After more than THREE years of living here, I AM STILL HAVING ISSUES with my cable, internet and phone connection and NO, it's NOT Bright House's fault. It's STILL our HOA. This is the email I sent out today to the manager who kindly helped me this week. We have our services continuously disconnected because everything was built very poorly from the get-go. HOA's SHOULD BE OUTLAWED!

PS Anyone who lives in Independence should get in contact with their ONLINE service and speak to a manager to get the BULK discount they offer. Because we get cable through HOA, we have never been entitled to Bright House's great discounts. We were told there was nothing we can do. But apparently not every employee is informed that there actually IS a discount for what they call "bulk' customers. Call and get your discount! We are now (after three years) starting to save some kind of money!

Here is my email to them (leaving names out):

"Just so you know, my box (after three years of being here) was mistagged. My house is #67 (per your tech) on the HOA box and the #67 on Bright House Box was not my home, so every time someone would service outside, they were actually repairing another person's home, not ours. This is why we never really had perfect reception.

Our HOA actually disconnected our service (and of several neighbors) more than once for non-payment when we had paid and were up to date. Apparently this box confusion led to our service being disconnected. They took over two weeks to get our service back because they have like 5 employees involved in restoring service (but only one who doesn't know what he's doing in disconnecting it) completely inefficient.

Furthermore, one of the connection screws was in very bad shape. Chris, the tech who came to repair was very nice and apparently knows what he is doing. He is a priority tech. Please make a note that we're happy with his work and service.

What this HOA has done (and continues to do) to this community is pathetic. Everyone here has complained about it. They not only do not acknowledge any wrongdoing, but they charge us more and more and give us less services. We never got an apology on their behalf, let alone some kind of refund for non-service. And because they are home owners association, they can do whatever they want because they are not regulated by government. I've complained to the attorney general office of Fl and there is 'nothing they can do' so they say. And we are left to endure this because if we do not pay HOA's, they can disconnect our service and put a lien on the home. Hopefully we will be out of here soon, as we are looking to short sell this nightmare.

The WHOLE system here is messed up because they had old, obsolete parts set up for their own 'mom-n-pop' cable company which was terrible (went out every weekend and no one serviced it outside regular business hours) and their system was incompatible with Bright House's newer system. I honestly can say we have not had ONE month of continuous uninterrupted service.

They're even supposed to repair streets that are HOA-owned and it's been three years, and have repeatedly told them our garage street floods but have yet to see a repair. When I complained that we pay $300 a month for just grass cutting, standard cable and internet, they gave me the excuse that they do other repairs. Well, they're not doing it in my side of the neighborhood, because my house is supposed to be painted every three years, my street was supposed to be repaired and none of this happened... aside from all the inconvenience in regards to cable and internet and phone problems.

We were told our home insurance was being removed from the HOA fee so that it would cost less for all of us. Well, they removed insurance from all the townhomes. We had to purchase it on our own and our HOA fee went down one month. After that, it was higher than before and on top of it, we had the added extra expense on the side of home insurance. So we were paying MORE than before PLUS insurance! They are scammers, I tell you. (sorry to vent so much)

I know many of BH employees already know this because they saw for themselves the bad job done by the construction company here and the many times people get their service disconnected because the HOA makes mistakes.

I am just letting you know because what happens when a company like yours (a serious company) pairs up with these kind of fraudulent home owner associations that only know how to take money and give nothing in return, it costs YOU (and the customers) money and lots of frustration. I honestly think it's more of a pain for your company to deal through HOA than anything else... as it is for us as customers. I think we would have never had this problem had we dealt w/BH directly.

I'm looking forward to getting out of here and dealing with BH as my provider rather than through this scam of HOA we have.

I can't complain to them anymore because I was told "I harass' them too much. Makes me laugh that they would actually feel bothered when they are the ones who do not know what they're doing. I know I am not the only one too. Everyone you talk to in the neighborhood is extremely angry about it, but again, Florida law doesn't allow us to get compensated for lack of service.

thanks again... sorry for venting, but I wanted to let you know where your troubles lie. You might want to set up a service where you call neighbors here and offer your 'package discount' for 'bulk'. I know they'd be grateful to you as a provider as i was."

Report: Family In Home Invasion Held For Days

THEN THEY LET ANYONE IN HERE---- from strangers in ice-cream trucks to people selling oranges, to solicitors DESPITE the SIGNS that say NO SOLICITING... but the HOA's say they can't do anything... DESPITE what the contract states that they are RESPONSIBLE for keeping the community safe among other things it states and which they REFUSE to comply. If we don't comply with paying, we get cable/internet disconnected. WHAT happens when THEY don't comply? NOTHING.

We still have plenty of people speeding and LOADS of people parking at the entrance where NO PARKING is allowed. Vehicles change DAILY, sometimes parked overnight in front of empty homes located at the exit of the community. NO ONE DOES ANYTHING about this. Who are these people? They do not live here but can park close to the exit in no parking area where they can easily get away.

Does something like THIS have to happen in INDEPENDENCE for someone to REACT and at least get back the services we pay for???

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


WINTER GARDEN, Fla. -- A Winter Garden couple who were injured in a home invasion were held against their will for several days, according to a charging affidavit.

Video | Suspect Talks | Images


Winter Garden police identified the two men detained for questioning as Miguel Diaz-Santiz, 25, and Victor Sanchez-Santiz, 20, as suspects. Another accused, Oscar Diaz-Hernandez, was arrested on Wednesday a woman involved in the incident has not been located.

According to the affidavit, five people forced themselves into a home on Lake Roberts Landing in the Lake Roberts subdivision near Stoney Brook Parkway on Saturday and forced Ruben and Marcela Morais and their 5-year-old son to drive to an unknown location in Apopka. The affidavit said the suspects and their accomplices held the three, bound and gagged, there until Monday, when they drove the woman to a Bank of America in Ocoee and forced her to remove $23,000 from the family's account.

The affidavit said the three were still being held by the suspects and their accomplices at the family's home on Tuesday, when the woman pulled off the mask of one of the abductors – a woman. The unmasked woman screamed, "She saw my face and knows who I am. You have to kill her," the report said.

The affidavit said the Marcela Morais was able to loosen her bonds and jump from a second-story window. As she ran to a neighbor's home for help, she was shot in the side, the affidavit said.

"My guys called and said the lady ran out into his arms and that she was shot," general contractor Dave Schlobach said.

The Winter Garden police chief said the crime does not appear to be random.

"I don't think people need to be alarmed or concerned that this will happen again," George Brennan said.

Police also did not say if the Morais family knew their attackers. "Regardless if there's a connection or not, this should not have happened to anyone," said Keith Ralston, of the Winter Police Department. "They bound, gagged and blindfolded the mother as well as the child."

Homes in that neighborhood are valued between $400,000 and $1 million. The neighborhood is under construction.

Police said they caught two men outside the subdivision wall. As he was being led between police cars, one suspect said in Spanish that he was lied to and had nothing to do with the home invasion.

The police department said two other assailants fled in the homeowner's Audi A7. The Orange County Sheriff's Office assisted in the search with its helicopter. The car has since been recovered.

Lake Whitney Elementary and West Orange High School were locked down because of the search, but were later reopened.

Neighbors said they have a false sense of security in the newly developed neighborhood, because of the gates. The gates are open all day for construction vehicles.

"We've been asking to meet with Meritage to close up the gate or have stickers or have someone at the gate to control who comes in and out," neighbor Frederick Larue said.

HOA Streets CONSTANTLY Flooded

Asking neigbors to park in their space and other

Hello. Could you please make an effort to park at your own door and/or driveway/garage? This causes us problems especially when we have to unload groceries (even more so if it’s raining). Is there any rational reason why you do this on a daily basis? I believe you guys have three cars, at least two of which are pretty much constantly parked either straight at my door and/or under my window, many times both.

Just so you know, my husband has had eight surgeries to his left foot due to a severe accident; he has another scheduled soon and has to pick up his handicapped sticker because he’ll be unable to move around for several months so we really need our spot to be clear as much as possible because he cannot walk well now and will not be able to walk at all soon. I had an ambulance come the other day for a problem that happened to me where I could not walk at all due to total loss of balance and the fire personnel and ambulance had to wheel me out on a gurney swerving around cars because my whole entrance was blocked while the rest of the street including your area was completely empty.

In the HOA covenants it also clearly states no one is even supposed to park overnight in the streets (so much for that because no one cares) but it is a violation of the HOA rules. I ask you to please park in your own area especially since it’s always empty. If you like, I can provide you with a copy of the rules.

I don’t appreciate anyone looking inside my house either so I have to constantly keep my blinds closed. This never happened before; everyone parked in their own spot. I am baffled as to why since you moved or come to this community (as I really do not know if you are a resident, owner, visitor or renter) you chose to make my front door and/or window your private parking space(s). I’m sorry, I really don’t intend to sound rude but it’s been over a year that I have lost my space to park at my own entrance/walkway to my home and I never thought I would have to actually write this. I simply do not understand why anyone would so carefully and neatly block another’s door/window where they do not reside. I don’t do this out of respect. It’s a bit invasive to others’ privacy and personal property and it just makes it difficult for people to walk into their homes when they have difficulty walking in the first place.

On a side note, since I am writing you, we’ve had a lot of problems in the community lately, including people touching others’ property, moving it around, like our trash bins (i.e. my property) someone moved them to block my exit from my driveway (something very dangerous if I need to leave in a hurry in an emergency, let alone bothersome to have to get out of my car to move them so I could leave my home) The trash cans do not go at the end of the grass border between homes (this is no one’s property, it’s the separation between homes) but on each resident’s own driveway, and that is where I put mine, on my very own property. Someone actually had to trespass on my property to maliciously take my bins (also my property) and set them in a row to block our exit from the driveway. Anyway, I ask you that since you live so close if you saw anyone do this, to please let me know because we filed a police report after this happened numerous times following instructions of our HOA Management and Board of Directors who told us to do so. We’re also installing cameras. It would never occur to me to touch anyone’s property in such a way, let alone trash. It’s just bizarre that I would have to worry about something so disgusting as trash and trash cans. If I saw someone doing this to you, I would definitely let you know. I’ve let the other neighbors know too.

Also, we’ve had several burglaries in the community too (in broad daylight and with the alarms supposedly activated by the way) We’re asking all residents to be vigilant and not leave their doors/garage doors open or unlocked and to report any suspicious activity including vendors soliciting as this is a no-soliciting/no-trespassing community and vendors are a perfect way to stake out an area. It’s for everyone’s safety. This used to be a very safe neighborhood but we presume strangers come in because it’s secluded and they think no one pays attention, so it’s important we all keep a watchful eye.

I sincerely hope you understand.

Thank you.

Janet

Blocking my home

On Feb 23 an ambulance came to my home and took me to the ER because (and I am still in the process of finding out) I may have suffered a stroke. What happened? My door and window area yet AGAIN were blocked. In the middle of not being able to walk at all, they had to wheel me out in a gurney doing so very clumsily due to my whole area being blocked with other people's vehicles while the rest of the street was completely empty.

Today, March 8 (just like every other day of the week) my door is blocked and yet the whole street is empty. I do NOT do this to anyone EVER. I do NOT understand for the life of me why people do not think before they do these things. Does anyone know? It completely baffles me.

Oh, and by the way, it is strictly against HOA rules to have any sort of commercial vehicles parked inside the property. Yesterday there were commercial TRUCKS parked in the streets (that have no business inside the community)

Useful Resources

Click on the title (useful resources) to submit complaints in the state of Florida regarding HOA Management Companies
Below are the direct links to website and also the two forms needed


http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/cam/forms.html
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/dbpr/le_portal/dbpr-0070-1.pdf
www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/cam/documents/cam-4307_enterable.pdf


Florida Dept of Business Professional Regulation

80% Gets you out of the hellhole

OH! and forget Homeowners Insurance!

It's NOT included in our fees! WHY? Because they said they'd be saving us money. OK... not only is this UNTRUE because now we have to pay for this separately, but OUR HOA FEES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WHEN WE DID HAVE INSURANCE!!!!!

More Issues Same Day

And a bit later this evening, the other car from the same household that parks at my door everyday yet again. AND you can see here where they have plenty of space at their own door PLUS the fact that they have a two car garage AND a driveway where they can park and should park anyway. This is the latest update today, Feb 10 @ 6:00 PM I've given you the address already per your request. These people are not even owners.

I am also installing a camera to see who is meddling and moving MY property, MY trash cans from MY property (MY driveway) to maliciously block MY exit from MY garage.

You are to uphold the safety and rules of the community and you do nothing of the kind.

Add to this that my husband has been having recurring incredible pain in his foot, which he's had EIGHT OPERATIONS ON! He can barely walk! and has to go to the doctor for this but cannot miss work. WHY do we have to put up with this crap???? If you do not believe me that he can barely walk, you can contact his job and ask there.
Why does he have to walk more than he should when these people can park at their own door or in the space that is provided in the house??? It's in the rules that people are supposed to park in their damn driveways!

OPEN LETTER

Here is another video from TODAY. Obviously nothing was done! Why should I continue to pay HOA fees if no one does anything to enforce the rules? Just asking, because I am paying for a service I am NOT getting. Last night another truck was parked overnight at my door. Today this car once again from the same people who park at my place everyday.

And about the ice-cream truck which is trespassing has anyone actually stopped to think that these people may give out information on the activity of each neighbor in the community and pass it on to someone so they can break in in broad daylight? What a perfect excuse to roam around the streets and stake out the premises. How funny that homes were broken into when the truck reappeared. I confronted them myself and he was arguing that "no soliciting" sign meant "no prostitution". With that criteria, then should we put up a sign that says "No murdering on premises"?

No trespassing means if you don't live here, you are not to come unless you have loved ones you visit, not to sell anything. No soliciting means you should not solicit business (i.e. knocking on doors or blasting music to sell your products) And I remind you that the covenant explains that there should be no business operation on premises. If we allow one truck, we'll get 100, selling all kinds of things, but again, it's US that have to do the dirty work.. so why am I not getting paid to manage this? Why do I have to pay someone who doesn't do what the covenant explains they should do?

Just so you know, and I am sure you do already, the whole neighborhood (of those who own homes) are disgusted with your service or lack thereof. I am not the only one.

You took away our home insurance to make the fees cheaper and YET they have gotten MORE expensive and we now have to pay insurance separately. What you're doing is known as fraud, and believe me, it will be stopped.

I had my cable disconnected on Feb 4 and I was up to date on the fees. I still have not had it reinstated and yes, I now have not paid Feb but the point is, you disconnected my service BEFORE the fact.