K.H. from outside of Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
An owner has filed a temporary restraint order on our resident manager and tried twice to have him arrested and finally succeeded. The manager can’t do his job without the possibly of being close. He will likely not be allowed within 100 feet of our building where the unit owner resides. In the meantime, the building is unprotected while the manager is in jail. I am not sure how to handle but legal is definitely being contacted, I believe a counter claim should be filed against this owner to protect the manager. Any suggestions?
Mister Condo replies:
K.H., I am sorry that your condo manager and a resident locked horns so severely that it came to an arrest and a restraining order. You have already gotten your association attorney involved, which is a good first step. In my experience, most resident property managers have had enough training to now when it is time to walk away from an angry or disgruntled resident so that the situation doesn’t escalate. Once the legal dust settles, I would suggest interviewing for a new Property Manager who has experience in dealing with such unit owners. I shortened your letter a bit but you mentioned that you thought the unit owner was at fault. Even if this is the case, the unit owner will remain and isn’t likely to change his behavior. You need to find a Property Manager who won’t react to his provocations. Otherwise, it is going to be an uncomfortable environment for both the Property Manager and the resident and it can lead to future incidents that inconvenience the entire association. Good Luck!