C.A. from Hawaii writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
The community outdoor lighting and gate system are electrically attached to our condo. When the lights automatically come on there is a loud pop and buzzing. Is this legal?
Mister Condo replies:
C.A., I don’t know about “legal” but it sure sounds annoying. Is the “pop” a transformer powering up? If so, it may need servicing. Have you complained to the association? It is not unusual for wiring to cross between unit owner and association-owned assets, even though in an ideal world, association utilities would be quite separate from unit owner’s utilities. Loud pops are not typically features of outdoor lighting and I would be very concerned not just for the noise but for the potential for fire if the unit is malfunctioning. Put your concerns in writing to the Board, the Property Manager, even the local Fire Department or Building Inspector. It would seem the unit need to be looked at and deemed safe. If it is functioning normally and the “pop” is not unusual, your only other course of action may be to claim that the sound is a nuisance and see if you can convince the association that it is affecting your enjoyment of your unit. If that fails, you may wish to contact an attorney to see if you do have legal rights to have the power rerouted. I am not an attorney and offer no legal advice in this column. I hope you get the peace and quiet you deserve. Good luck!