S.B. from outside of Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
Last year, I had water damage to my floors from the outside balcony. The Property Manager said to call my insurer, which I did at my expense. This year two new leaks from the outside of building front to inside my bedroom, had to put towels and bucket to catch water. Custodian came and said gasket was off and the caulking had not been done in years. I told the manager, her boss, and all of the board members via emails (many emails to plead my valid case, not any answers to date) about problem. Caulking man came took pictures and they now have a price to fix it and still no one has talked to me as to when it will all get fixed?? It’s almost a month now without anyone making plans to fix it. What can I do to get them to fix it now? A small leak unfixed will surely grow into a bigger mess and I cannot keep going back to my insurance company. Please advise ASAP. I am very concerned and thank you in advance.
Mister Condo replies:
S.B., preventable damage like what you have described is always a head-shaker for me. However, you have done what you are supposed to do and now it is up to the Board and the Property Management company to follow through and see that the repairs get done. One of the issues that usually comes into play in situations like this is bureaucracy. The Property Manager can only authorize work that the Board has approved and is willing to pay for. Tight budgets, lack of common fees collection, and more can lead to the Board deciding to delay a repair until there is money to pay for it. Also, if the Board meets infrequently (once per quarter, every other month) many months can go by between a problem being reported and a repair being performed. There isn’t too much you can do about that. Ultimately, the Board is made up of volunteer members from within your association. If you don’t think they are getting the job done, it is time for some new volunteers. Perhaps you would consider running for the Board and volunteering your time to help guide the community? All the best!