Condo living etiquette: Be a good neighbor
As a condo board member and a member of the Community Associations Institute, I follow an online forum of condo board members and managers around the country. There’s a topic that seems to come up quite often in communities of all types, and that is dealing with nuisance neighbors.
These are neighbors who just don’t seem to believe they must follow the condo rules and regulations, never mind the guidelines to simply be a good member of society.
Do you have one of “those” neighbors in your community? Take an introspective look at yourself as well. Are there things you do that you don’t even realize may be a nuisance to your neighbor?
In condominium living, we usually are living in close proximity to our neighbors, so what you might get away with in a single family home on a half-acre lot won’t fly in a condo community.
What kind of things are we talking about?
Pets
Most cities have laws, and condos have rules pertaining to keeping your dog on a leash at all times. Do you always have your dog on a leash? Even though your dog “won’t hurt a flea,” not having your dog on a leash can cause distress to your neighbor who is terrified of dogs, or can cause another dog stress.
It’s also not a good idea to take a chance of your dog getting distracted and running across the street, causing a neighbor to hit it with their car.
Another common concern from condo owners is someone allowing a dog to bark incessantly while outdoors. If you have a neighbor who allows that, before placing a complaint to the association, try having a friendly conversation with the offender to be more mindful.
And then, of course, there is the ongoing hot topic of scooping the poop. Please, just do it. Do it for your neighbors, do it for the environment, do it for other pets. Animals can contract diseases from another pet’s waste.
Parking and vehicles
Another common issue is parking, including people parking in other residents’ designated spaces and residents parking in designated guest spaces. Most condo associations have limited parking, which brings strict parking policy guidelines to ensure the parking is equitable.
Many will only allow one or two designated spaces, which means you can’t have the motorcycle, weekend fun-mobile and a work car. There’s a good chance your policy prohibits parking a commercial vehicle in the community as well. Read the parking policy carefully. Be a good neighbor and park in your designated space(s). Don’t park on the grass, in the fire lane or on the sidewalk.
Get-togethers
Every neighborhood seems to have the party house with a consistent flow of people coming and going. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it may not be as much of a concern as before, but it is still something to consider for get-togethers of any size.
If you’re having a gettogether, notify your nearby neighbors. Maybe even consider taking some cookies or other treat as a “thank you in advance for understanding.” Let them know what time you’re expecting guests and what time you expect to end the evening.
Communicate your condo’s parking policy with your guests. The last thing you want is for guests to be towed because they parked in the wrong spots. If parking is really tight, ask guests to carpool, or ask a few neighbors if you could use their unused spaces.
Be considerate of the noise, and end the party at a reasonable time.
Invite the neighbors!
Around the community
If there is a community dumpster, do not leave trash items or furniture outside the dumpster. If your community recycles, be sure to follow the rules of recycling in regards to what is recyclable.
Associations can incur additional fees, or even be denied service, when the community consistently breaks rules that cause additional pick-ups.
Also, not all neighborhoods have posted speed limits, but most residential streets are usually 25 mph. However, in a small condo community with short streets, that would be too fast.
Last, be respectful of clubhouse and pool rules.
Around your home
Here are a few more good-neighbor suggestions:
Make sure you pick up any trash around your unit. Don’t leave the newspaper or advertisements sitting in your driveway until they shred. Take it a step further and take a walk around the neighborhood and pick up any trash you notice.
Keep up any maintenance you’re responsible for, such as your rear yard. Letting your grass grow high can affect your neighbor by attracting unwanted rodents.
Maintain proper maintenance of your air conditioning unit and plumbing. Often units are connected (townhome or high-rise style), so you are sharing walls, if not floors and ceilings. An undetected leak in your unit can cause damage to a neighboring unit.
If you have video cameras, ensure they are not invading your neighbor’s privacy by being pointed in the direction of their unit or window.
In a time where we all need to exercise patience and understanding with each other, let’s make it a little easier by being a good neighbor.
Julie Ulrich is vice-chair of the Hampton Roads Realtors Association’s Common Interest Community Advisory Group. Have a question about a condo or common interest community topic? Email rwoodring@hr ra.com. For more on HRRA, go to www.hrra.com, or call 757-473-9700. This column is not legal advice nor a legal recommendation.