Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Nip That Problem Neighbor in the Bud

Dear Boardie,
 Q. My neighbor smokes on his balcony which I know is against the Rules and Regs. I’ve asked him to stop but he continues. What should I do?
A. Owners can fill out a Violation Report (available in our lobby Maintenance office, at Menas Realty, or download from Menas Web Portal). Fill it out as instructed. Return it to Samantha Emig at Menas or send a digital copy to Samantha at semig@Menas.com.
Q. I’m worried my neighbor will shun me if I report him.
A. He’s not exactly your best friend now anyway. Ask your closest other neighbor if he too, has noticed and was bothered by the smoke and if so, if you can include his observations in your report. That’ll take some of the heat off you. While your complaint is confidential, the Violator has the right to know who his accusers are – if he asks, but they seldom do.
Q. What happens after I turn in my Violation Report?
A. Menas sends the smokers a warning letter to stop smoking on the balcony. If they ignore it and continue smoking, the Board will ask them to come to a Hearing at our monthly board meeting and explain themselves. Afterwords the board will vote to dismiss the issue with a warning or to fine the Violator $250 for noncompliance.
Q. What happens if I’m a renter?
A. You would have to get the owner of your unit to complain about the smoker in your behalf.
Q. What happens if the smoker is a renter?
A. The Owner of the rented unit would get the violation warning letter and/or be asked to appear before the Board. Renters have no voice whatsoever at Homeowner Meetings.

Flying Saucers?

Got a balcony lined with glorious geraniums or a cute dwarf palm tree? That’s all fine and dandy until you over water and/or forget to have a non-porous saucer under each and every plant.  You do not want have water pooling on the concrete. If the cement becomes soaked over and over, it can contribute to spalling, which is when the water gets inside and the concrete separates from the rebar inside. It’s not just unsightly, it’s bad for the structure. So be nice to the building. Get yourself over to Green Gardens right next door and grab some plastic saucers from the array of saucers they offer in their shed area. 'Nuf said.