In my previous condo building, I literally had to call the police to deal with a neighbor who was harassing me about an Association issue. This neighbor was banging on my door, yelling and pressing the doorbell repeatedly while I stood on the other side, incredulous. The source of her rage? An expenditure the Board had approved for a landscaping project.
The holiday weekend has got me thinking about personal time and the need for Board members to set clear boundaries when it comes to dealing with owner issues. All Association business, unless there is an emergency, should be addressed at a Board meeting or a special meeting of the unit owners. This ensures that decisions are documented and prevents miscommunication among Board members. It also sets a clear distinction between Board members' personal time and the time that is set aside for Association matters.
HausFS recommends that Board members set a communication policy for their Associations. Any owner complaints or requests should be submitted in writing to the Board. The Board should then respond to the owner only to indicate that the item has been added to the agenda for the next Board meeting. Board members are not required to field emails or phone calls from owners unless there is an emergency. Hostile emails or phone calls should not be addressed at all. Board members are entitled to respectful communication from owners and vice versa.
Laying down ground rules for communication with the Board can help to make condo living easy!