Redditor Gets Fined By HOA For Parking In The Driveway While Checking Up On Friend’s Cat, Now Friend Wants Redditor To Pay

"Cars may only park in the garage or in designated visitor spaces. No parking in the driveway."

Damjan

• Published in Animal Stories
• October 25, 2022

One of the many things pet owners have to consider is traveling. It is not possible to take your pet everywhere you go, especially if it is a longer trip.

So, you are left with a couple of options. You can leave your pet in a pet hotel, hire a pet sitter, or leave it with friends and family.

Of course, the last option is usually the cheapest. If the pet can stay in your home and not change the environment - even better (change of environment can be stressful for some animals).

And if on top of all that, you have a friend willing to regularly come over to feet it and check on it, you are golden.

Our Redditor is one of those people. They don’t mind going over to their friend's home to check on their pet while they are on vacation.

But, sadly, the friend they were doing this favor to is not really appreciative. Our Redditor got a ticket for parking in the driveway because the friend lives in the HOA neighborhood.

Yes, the dreadful HOA. They come up with the craziest rules, and one of them is – “cars may only park in the garage or in designated visitor spaces. No parking in the driveway.”

However, the vacationing friend didn’t tell our OP, and she got a $25 ticket. And it all resulted in a fight:

OP asks:

OP was checking up on a friend's cat. And they got a $25 HOA parking ticket for parking in the driveway

OP wasn't told about this rule, and she ignored it

However, her friend now asks that OP pays for the ticket.

The state laws say:

A homeowner association (HOA, sometimes referred to as a property owners' association or POA), or a homeowner community, is a private association-like entity often formed by multiple owner-occupancies, or by a real estate developer for marketing, managing, and selling homes and lots in a residential subdivision.

Generally, any person who wants to buy a residence within the area of a homeowners association must become a member, and therefore must comply with the regulations which may limit the owner's choices in exterior design modifications

Redditors agree:

HOAs are awful

Good deal it is

This association is bullying people

This is a clearly ridiculous rule

Stay clear of them

All foreigners love reading them

Home owner is SOL

The bottom line is:

So, why would anyone buy or rent a property in such communities where they have to ask for permission on basically everything? Well, real estate experts say that there are benefits:

Helping Maintain Property Values.

Financial Stability.

Community Connection through Volunteer Work.

Added Layer of Support.

Rules and Regulations Deter Nuisance Activity.

Increased Community Pride.

Well-Maintained Common Areas and Amenities.

Access to Amenities.

However, do the cons outweigh the pros here? Well, they are pretty popular, so it seems that a lot of people think they drawbacks are worth it.

Damjan