Waste Not Want Not

To all Self Serving Board Members,
Managment Companies & Vendors

Sometimes it amazes me just how lazy people are and the things companies (management companies specifically but it goes for all companies) will do to rack up the charges. 

My HOA actually spent money to send every owner a 2 page letter asking us to tell them how we paid our dues.  If paid by electronic methods coupons are not needed.  If the contracted rates I have are accurate they either paid $2.00 (1.00 per page) plus .44 per owner to mail this crap.  Having 174 homes that comes to $424.56 to sent this out.  Plus, each owner had to send back a form costing us again $76.56.  So, in total the money paid out by all the owners to tell the management company what they already know comes to $501.12.  If they only charged us for making copies of a 2 page letter then the cost is .24 + .44 * 174= $118.32 charged by the management company plus another .44 * 174=  $76.56 paid to send the form back totaling $194.88.  Just to tell the management company what they already know. 

The management company has his information available, so why are they asking us to tell them how we pay our dues.  The method people are using to pay their dues right now, is how they are going to pay them until something changes.  Typically, people use one method to pay bills and that is it.  If more than one is used the method is most likely the same just the account it's paid from is different.

I figure if the board isn't smart enough to only send out a community wide letter like this one time then only send it to new owners in the welcome pack.  Then they have no respect for the money we pay in dues.  I don't know about them but I work hard for my money.  When I spend it I expect a certain level of service, quality, durability, warranty, function, appearance, cleanliness, and value appropriate for the item, amount spent, purpose used for, etc.  Right.

If you rent a hotel room you expect it to be clean.  If you feel like you would be cleaner not taking a shower verses taking a shower in a bathroom that is showing mold on the walls and tile.  Then your not getting what you paid for.  It doesn't matter if you spend $1.00 or $1,000.00 there is a certain level of expectation expected for spending that money. 

When someone else is spending that money on your behalf (like a board) you still have a level of expectations.  It's when those who are spending it, do not have the same level of expectations or take the same care in spending funds owned by others as they do when spending their money that is insulting and disrespectful.  And what about the agent or management company? 

The management company is legally obligated to put their interests second to the clients interests.  That being said, for the manager to not point out they have the information on hand that a letter isn't needed community wide.  It can only send a notice out to new owners, is even more insulting and disrespectful.

I figure if they are this careless to spend money to get information they have available to them.  Then they don't really want the information or it has to be a mistake.  So, I didn't fill out the form or send it back.  Since they actually sent me a coupon book and wasted $7.50 + .64 to mail it, it wasn't a mistake.   How many other owners did the same thing?  

I wonder if these people borrow something from someone and don't take care of it.  If they are going to waste the money or opportunity given to them they must not have wanted it! 

Board members should be about to be fined for wasting money just like owners who violate the rules.  One of them or all of them had to approve anything and everything that the management company does.  The management company should also have to eat the cost because they did not point it out.  Thus, they put their own interests before that of the client. 


Those who serve themselves do not serve the community!