| Author |
Message |
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, November 16, 2019 - 3:51 pm 
I play Yahtzee with Buddies online and we have families. I love mine and the people. Our leader has had massive surgeries and has infusions and her eyesight is quite compromised, so she uses Siri to dictate her that entries. There is no way to correct the crazy things Siri sometimes comes up with!
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Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 9:15 am
Gripe: It's major for me. I've lived in this condo building for almost 35 years. It has been OK. Some things have changed since earlier this year. We now have outside management company. So far OK. We now have all new people, except for one, on the Board of Managers. Not so OK.
Dogs are allowed. I've had a dog since June 18, 2011. First few years dogs were allowed in the lobby. Not now. That's OK. It's a two wing building. Dogs go in-out door at the end of the wing. That's OK. Through the years after the no-dogs-in-the-lobby policy when I've gone out and forgotten my key, I have gone to the front door where someone has let me in or I buzz someone to get in. Short distance (9'?) through the lobby to hallway. I make a dash. Then one day recently when that happened new Board Prez was in the lobby. He said, "NO DOGS IN THE LOBBY." Joking? Just when forget my key? NO DOGS IN THE LOBBY. Grrrrrr. Well, I now and guess I really always could have fastened key to the leash.
It's cold winter here and will be COLDer next week. This morning the lock was not working too well. There are times when the lock has frozen. Said something to a Board member about the lock. Will bring dog in front door in that case. NO DOGS IN THE LOBBY. Take your garage door opener when you go out. That does NOT work for me. Isn't it up to Board of Managers to make sure the lock is working at all times. In cold weather they may have to check it a few times a day. That's their problem, not mine.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 9:21 am
It is up to them to make sure you can access the one door you are allowed to use!
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 9:57 am
Yes, anytime there is an issue you need to report it to the Management Company, call, call, call, every single time. And be sure to keep a key on the dog's collar so you don't forget it.
I am not sure what can be done about a frozen lock. Go to the monthly meetings and complain about not being able to use the lobby if the lock is frozen, and If it was me and the lock was frozen I would take picture of it and then walk thru the lobby, LOL.
BUT NO, it is not the management company or Board of Directors job to check the lock several times a day. It is your problem because if they have to hire someone to check the lock several times a day then that cost will be reflected in your dues increasing.
My suggestion for the frozen lock is that you check it before you leave the building to make sure it is ok.
Also is there such a thing as something you spray on locks in cold weather to help them not freeze? You might want to get some of that to spray before you exit the building. You could bill the Board for the cost of that item.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 10:01 am
There are deicers you can buy in small tubes. Hand sanitizer works in a pinch.  Put it on the key and insert... wait about 30 seconds. Slowly jiggle until it lets go. Don't force.
By the way, once it's thawed, spray it liberally with WD40, then repeat every couple of weeks. Problem solved. Your management company should do this.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 10:13 am
Being on a board I know that we do not have anyone who would be onsite every single day. Our handyman comes once a week, so if someone complained we could add it to his list of weekly duties.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 10:15 am
Well, if you do the WD40 thing, it can last a couple of weeks, so all you need to do is thaw it out well once, dry it out (hair dryer) and then apply the WD40 periodically to keep it from refreezing.
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Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 11:47 am
I'm in a single two-wing building, 60 units -- not that big. We did get outside management earlier this year, but seems they're being used mostly for money / financial stuff, record keeping, legal stuff, problem unit owners. (There are a few.) Couple men on the Board and couple others keep stuff "working" here. I've learned we don't go to management company for many things here. Frozen / not working lock would definitely be reported to and taken care of by Board members. So that's what I did this morning -- told Board member. (I did get lock to work this time.) NO DOGS IN THE LOBBY. Take garage door opener with you. NO. Board should monitor the locks. Really through 35 years it has been rare that lock was frozen or didn't work. So if / when that RARELY happens meaning the Board didn't keep locks operating, I'll have to go to front door to get buzzed in and dash a whole 9' at most through the lobby. The Prez of Board's unit is next to the end of wing door. He goes in/out of there plenty.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 2:09 pm
Our project is 60 units as well, NO ONE does any work because it is a liability. Our management team contacts contractors and workers to take care of issue.
The most our board members have done is technical stuff, ie our security cameras.
But I swear, I would be tempted to walk thru that lobby with the dog all the time.
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Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 2:17 pm
The building about app. 50 years old. Management was always in-house until early this year. Few men in the building take care of a lot of smaller things. Seems go to one of them first, then they contact management if necessary.
IF I get locked out, think I will just head for the front door / lobby to get entrance.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 2:35 pm
Does it matter if you carry the dog?
I don't have a dog, or a lobby. We do have outside management and contract with a local contractor who is licensed and he is connected to our property, as his mother lived here in the past. He and his family live in our city. He attends board meetings and is the go to for projects large and small for the association and for individuals there is the advantage that he knows our buildings very well. We hire roofers when it is time for each building, but if you have a small leak, Mark is the one to climb up his ladders and do the repair. He handles our outside lighting too.
Besides roofing,car contract out outside painting, asphalt, concrete, slurry seal, parking/towing, landscaping, tree 🌳 trimming and pool inspection and maintenance.
Inside is all on us, and we have no shared hall or doors. Freezing would be unlikely, but WD40 IS my friend for locks and keys.
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Sugar
Member
08-15-2000
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 3:02 pm
No dogs in the lobby means no dogs in the lobby. If you have non working doors they refuse to fix call the city, fire department or whoever is in charge of building codes. Get another garage door opener and carry a key. Your dog is not the condos responsibility but it is yours to follow the rules regarding dogs. It may annoy you, however, the no dogs in the lobby rule has been made pretty clear.
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Jimmer
Board Administrator
08-29-2000
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 3:41 pm
It’s too bad they don’t have reasonable rules or that people can’t just be reasonable about things. People on power trips annoy me.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 5:51 pm
If the door is not accessible, that means the only way in is through the lobby. If they are going to make the restriction, they need to make sure other entrances are accessible.
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Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 6:02 pm
Jimmer, you got it. Really the rules are reasonable. I don't have a problem with them. My keys are right by my door. Occasionally when I was taking the dog out I'd forget to pick them up. Go to bldg front door -- somebody in the lobby would let me in or I buzz. No problem until new Board Prez couple months ago said NO DOGS IN THE LOBBY. Forgot my key. NO DOGS . . . . Yes, I could have always done it -- I now have a key fastened to the leash so always have it when I'm out with the dog. It's rare, but has happened a few times in 35 years that the wing lock is frozen or doesn't work. Isn't it reasonable then to go in front door and short distance through the lobby?
Recently the new Board Prez (who moved in earlier this year) did something -- same difference as me with the dog. It's a rule -- unit owners cannot keep any items in the stairwells. Board Prez' unit is on first floor by a stairwell. He had wet cardboard cartons that held his new glass sliding doors in the stairwell for a day or two. That is kind of understandable. I didn't say anything. But if he wants to be the way he was about the dog now rarely going through lobby, I will bring up HIS wet smelly cardboard in the stairwell.
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Chewpito
Member
01-03-2004
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 10:06 pm
Colordeagua, You go girl!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 10:20 pm
It would help to find out if there is a reason for the rule, beyond a power trip. Are the mail boxes in the lobby? Has any dog threatened anyone? Threats to a mail carrier can jeopardize delivery. Threats to anyone, even perceived, can lead to lawsuits.
Has a dog been allowed to pee, poop, run loose in that area?
Has there been a flea problem?
We just have grass and in our complex and in surrounding communities is several cities there are amazing numbers of complaints about dogs off lead, poop left everywhere, attacks on other dogs, threats to people.. So all dogs tend to get a bad rep. (And with our coyotes situation, where they are out at all hours, loose dogs are at risk)
Unfair, but it is out there.
I would go to a meeting (after a letter to be sure you are on the agenda!) and at least make them give their reasons.
But I might invest in an extra garage door opener, just to simplify things. It seems to be a source of great stress.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Saturday, December 07, 2019 - 10:27 pm
Most meetings should start with "Homeowner Concerns" so you don't even have to get on the agenda.
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Sunday, December 08, 2019 - 8:09 pm
quote:Recently the new Board Prez (who moved in earlier this year) did something -- same difference as me with the dog. It's a rule
Or you could run for president and unseat the so and so. Condo (or Co-Op) association president is a job nobody in their right mind wants to do, but sometimes a person has to do what a person needs to do to make things right.
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Kookliebird
Member
08-04-2005
| Monday, December 09, 2019 - 11:17 am
I was also going to suggest getting a second garage door opener and putting it with the dog walk items. In our Condo R&R, owners can be fined for not following the rules, not matter how unreasonable they seem to us.
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Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Monday, December 09, 2019 - 11:05 pm
I'll be in here 35 years July 2. Until early this year everything was in-house. Now outside management, but I don't know to what extent. Seems if there's a problem go to someone on the Board who then goes to outside management if necessary. Three out of four people on the Board are newer in the building. Don't know them so much.
Normally we'd be advised of our monthly maintenance for next year by now via letter on unit doors from the Board. Haven't heard anything yet. Guess it will be on bill from management this month. IIRC it was app. $90 when I moved in. This past year $230. Not bad over 35 years.
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Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Tuesday, December 10, 2019 - 9:13 am
Holy moly! I just asked about increase in maintenance fee for next year. No increase!!! I don't remember that ever happening before.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Tuesday, December 10, 2019 - 2:54 pm
OMG! I have been blocked from my Amazon account and it is a nightmare trying to get the security block released! I am going to be so made if I have to start a new account, it will mean giving up the balance I have on my gift card. So annoying and I didn't do anything wrong, just tried to sign in and it didn't recognize my password, then when I tried the forgot password it said I had tried too many times!
I only tried twice!!! Anyway they keep asking me questions I can't answer about my account Like what is on my wish list and what did I buy last,. I don't know, I don't pay attention to that stuff, LOL.
Off to try again.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Tuesday, December 10, 2019 - 3:53 pm
AND to top it all off, they had me clear my cache, browser history, etc. So now I have to sign in to every single place I go!!!!
I did give up and just make a new account, so if I had any money on the gift card, it was less than 25 I hope.
Oh, but i have the card I wonder if I can try and put it on my new account.
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Rosie
Member
11-12-2003
| Tuesday, December 10, 2019 - 3:57 pm
tell amazon to buzz off
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