QUESTION: We have an owner who is
constantly emailing and calling our onsite manager and management company with
complaints. She is constantly threatening to sue the HOA and our managers. She claims
the board gave her cancer due to stress, which she later admitted was
misdiagnosed. She left live cockroaches under glass on a board member's
front step. She tried to recall the board twice. She is taking up so much of
our time and money the board can hardly focus on anything else. Is there
anything that can be done?
ANSWER:
I wish there were an easy answer but there isn’t. Chronic complainers make
everyone around them miserable and burden the association with unnecessary
management and legal expenses. Their misguided behavior adds to the stress already felt by
directors who volunteer their time and energy to serve on the board. And they
make it difficult to recruit others for the board. If their actions rise to the level of harassment and threats, the board can
seek a
restraining order.
ASSISTANCE: Associations needing legal assistance can
contact us.
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