T.H. from Wayne County, Michigan writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
Hello! A resident has noticed an old kitchen sink in their back yard area near some woods near the back of their residence. Whose responsibility is it to clean up and throw out? The HOA or Resident? The sink is located near the property line but within the condo property.
Mister Condo replies:
T.H., condo common areas should always be kept clear of debris. In this case, it sounds like someone has decided that the wooded areas of your association would make a lovely trash dump location. While that is unfortunate, it is not uncommon. A letter should be sent to the Board and the Property Manager if the association has one. The association is responsible for the removal of this eyesore and should hire a licensed and insured contractor to remove the unsightly trash. If this is a common occurrence, the Board might take other measures to reduce the likelihood of future dumping (security cameras, fencing, signs). Hopefully, this is a “one and done” expense for the association. However, if it is a regular occurrence, it could even become a future line item in the association’s budget. The problem is real and the expense cannot be ignored. All the best!