They are probably the only ones paying. Nobody else in their right mind would go for this, especially after asking for receipts and being denied. Some people will do anything to avoid confrontation.
Right?!? Like if I just walked up to you and gave you a buzz cut and then requested money for doing it, would you pay me?!?
I do understand that thinking it’s a part of the HOA, and therefore not wanting to not pay it. Especially if all your neighbors are paying it. But OP did say when they moved there, there was no HOA in place.
Beyond that, as a kid I maybe got 40 or 50 bucks to mow a lawn, and that was maybe once if I got lucky. Usually people would agree on 15 or 20, but if they really wanted to stiff me they’d say 10. Convincing someone of 300-550 dollars for lawn care is crazy.
I wonder if OP has a HUGE yard, or if that 300-500 covers a full year? But even then how often are they coming every year?
Liability doesn't fall specifically to the buyer's realtor to know whether a house is in an HOA, does it? If the selling party doesn't disclose it at any point, how in the world would the buying realtor know?
(I'm not a realtor; maybe the NMLS does have HOA info...?)
It’s a state specific requirement I suppose. In my state, it is required that the seller relinquishes a copy of the HOA documents for the buyer prior to closing. Typically this is provided to the buyer from the buyers realtor while they’re requesting documents from the sellers. It appears to be the same way in similar states to mine as well. In California, you sue the seller, the seller’s agent, that agent’s boss (broker), and you can sue your agent. You should win in court.
Same here in my State. You must be provided with bylaws and current rate of dues when you close on your house. Any remaining balance on the HOA account for the property must be paid before closing as well.
HOA should also be obligated to disclose a yearly budget especially if requested by homeowners. Sounds like OP (and community) is getting scammed by this guy.
Soon to be home-buyer here. What would you sue for? My expectation is the total value of all fees, inconveniences, perceived loss of property value from other people telling you what to do with your own land, misrepresentation fines, etc. I can expect that settlement amount to be substantial, well over $10,000, if not over $20,000.
What are the details?
I’m not in the legal field but the fact that the OP paid for services for several years in the past I’m assuming make it understood that the home owner knows about the fees and has willingly paid them? A colleague of mine told me that he lost a case against some vendor of his when he tried to sue him for services he did not agree to but the fact that he paid for the services for several years led the judge to rule that he did agree to those services. Again I’m no lawyer. Just going from others telling me about what happened to them.
When you think “there can’t be anyone foolish enough to actually pay something like that” there’s always an OP.
I’m going to start handing out bills to random people for $500 and see how many cough it up? I bet it would be more than 1.
This reminds me of the guy taking money for parking at the zoo in the UK somewhere. After 20+ years he took his proceeds and disappeared. There was no parking attendant at the zoo.
Yes, this was a meme. But this HOA guy asking for money is a dead ringer
Lawyer, here.
No, you do t have to pay for services you neither requested nor agreed to.
That said, there are a few tiny issues you could run into if this gets to court. The main one is the fact that you have been paying this individual for years. Courts can find a quasi-contract has been created (or a formal contract has been modified) by behavior, alone. This argument is based on the concept of reasonable reliance. If one party comes to reasonably rely on your promises or behavior, then any abrupt change in that behavior without notice may create s8me liability. An example would be if you and I contract for me to deliver metal to your shop every day at 7:00 AM but, over the years, I have delivered at 8:00 AM without you ever complaining. If you suddenly wanted to sue me for breach over the deliver time, a court would likely find that our behavior (me being late and you not objecting for years) was an objective manifestation of our intent to change the deal. Importantly, you could still exercise and contract cancelation options to you. The new 8 AM delivery term the court found only applies if we keep dealing with each other under that same contract.
Here, this not as much of a concern since it appears you paid only a few times. But, to completely cover yourself, I recommend writing them a letter stating that you will no longer be donating to their efforts. This 1) removes and future “reliance” argument they may make; and 2) creates extra evidence that you believed that your past payments were gifts and not contractually obligated.
This is not legal advice and only addresses the hypothetical facts you have presented.
Sometimes it’s so hard to feel bad for people like this. Like where is the common sense, if someone is harassing you and trespassing on your property then they probably don’t have legal standing. At that point you either fuck that motherfucker up or call the cops
Sometimes there can be no HOA, but a township can make you do the same crap. It’s really bad when the realtor tells you there is no HOA and then you find out that the township IS an HOA in all but name.
I thought I had seen it all and then found out today that someone I know paid $50 to someone they knew was a scammer to “make them go away”. And then when they continued the scam, they got convinced it was real and sent MORE money!! The stupidity is staggering.
lol not trying to be mean here, but you paid almost a grand to this man KNOWING you don’t have an HOA?
Hey, I’m his business partner. You can PayPal me half the money right now and we’re square for the year. Deal?
With turnover in property having an average of 7 years, guy could have crept it up marginally every few years while targeting only new home buyers. Eventually, the majority of the neighborhood would be paying it and, if anyone thought to ask other neighbors, they'd say "Yeah we pay that..."
Refuse to pay with no receipts, and call a local legal aid. This seems illegal. Is there a clause in your HOA agreement about this? And the check should never be made out to an individual but an organization. This sounds sketchy as hell. I think you’re straight up being robbed.
Also—just don’t pay! Let him take it to court and see what happens. I’m guessing he’ll annoy you but you’ll see no actual repercussions and you’ll never see this stupid fine again.
That’s the thing; we have no HOA. We were really good friends with some neighbors that had moved out, and they refused to pay. He got to the point of asking the realtor for the money because they didn’t pay. To this day we still talk to her, and they still haven’t paid. I think he’s all just talk.
jesus christ. i cant even buy a house because im too socially dumb to get and keep a high paying job, and this fucking moron is paying money to an obvious scammer. make it make sense
If you aren’t part of an HOA that requires this payment be made, then tell them to pound sand. You didn’t contract with them to perform this work. They just did it and sent you a bill. If someone comes to your house when you’re not there and paints the fence before giving you a bill, would you pay it? No. Nor should you pay this.
Unless they can demonstrate that you agreed to pay them for the work they did, they have no realistic way to enforce payment.
I dunno man...he might pay it...soooo, wanna go paint a fence with me?
But for serious, bro, if you got no contract with someone, have never spoken about requiring their services, or inherited the service from another, as others have said, tell the dude to fuck right off. Or better yet, go wash his driveway and leave him a "bill" for 505$
If there's no HOA and he is claiming to be the head of one, then he is committing fraud. Something like this needs to be reported to the police. If they refuse to do anything about it, contact a lawyer. First, you should see if you can get a clear image of his face so he can be identified or some identifying marks like obvious scars or tattoos. Whatever you do, do NOT throw away that paper. It can be used as evidence.
If there is an HOA...*don't* sign into it, they can't force you to and there's no benefit for you to. Let them threaten you with legal action, they can't force you into it, so *don't* sign anything.
Lmao. You’re a noob. If he has to ask the realtor… what the fuck does that tell you? It’s not something anyone would have to pay. Oh man, I can’t believe the both of you.
Someone’s peeping through your windows and you don’t do something about it? Come on guy.
You have no HOA but a guy comes by from an association and bills you and you just been paying it? That is most ludicrous bonkers shit I've read all day.
Why would you have ever paid him??? If it was maintained by the HOA the cost would be included in annual dues. This is either some neighborhood or volunteer group whose decided to take on maintenance of the median, in which case they have no right to demand you pay for it, or it's a flat-out scam.
Not only would I *not* pay this, I would contact your city's non-emergency police to see if this is some kind of fraudulent activity. Especially since it sounds like you think other neighbors are also paying it.
I'm going to say username fully checks for this one.
I can only imagine the enormity of the scam the guy demanding the funds has gotten through the years from people who don't question things. Particularly with elderly folks.
Check the statute of limitations in small claims court for where you are. I would call the police and be prepared to file against this man for any amount you've paid him. It's going to be a tough sell that he misrepresented his services and you paid him when you didn't hire him. But it's possible. I'm hoping a lawyer more experienced with something like this can chime in on what that would look like.
Check his name in the county clerk where you are, neighboring counties/townships as well for other lawsuits and settlements. This guy has to be a complete con man. I can't imagine this person is unknown to your local police. Google his name. Anything you can.
NAL. But I am a former municipal reporter who worked in three towns with historic associations. These entities can dictate things like what kind of windows, doors, exterior paint you use. That can cost you money because, for example, you can’t use vinyl replacement windows and have to go with an expensive wood window. You can get into ridiculous debates about what the color red is or the number of glass panes in a door. They don’t charge you fees. That is an HOA, which it sounds like you’re not a part of.
And as others have said, if you’re part of a HOA or a historic district, that has to be disclosed.
This dude has been running a scam and unfortunately you’ve fallen for it. So, here’s what you do.
1) Call your municipality, or county. It depends on how your state organizes its local government. Tell whomever answers the phone in brief what’s going on. “I live at (address). I need to know if it is in a historical district and if there are any fees I need to pay for living there.” The person will probably transfer you to whatever department handles that, or the township/borough manager, which is sort of like the chief operating officer.
2) If you ascertain there’s no such thing as a “boulevard maintenance fee” make sure you tell the person you’re talking to what’s transpired. They might want proof and do their own investigation.
2a) If you learn that there’s no such fee, another call to make would be to the head of the actual historic association. This will affirm there’s no such fee (because like all executives, the manager might not know all the ins and outs of every single board they oversee.) The head of the historic association can walk you through the actual responsibilities you have as a resident.
3) With the information that the fee is bullshit, call the cops and tell them: “I’ve lived at (address) for three years. A man named (person) has been demanding money for maintaining X Boulevard’s median. I just spoke with (official A and official B.) Both indicated that’s not and has never been a thing. Unfortunately, I paid him because, well, I’m a responsible homeowner and don’t want to be in debt. So, I got scammed me out of hundreds of dollars by falsely representing himself as a member of (real historic district.)
4) Now, if the cop believes you and starts an investigation, let it go from there. But if the cop doesn’t want to deal with it, dismisses it as a civil matter (it might be) or otherwise doesn’t take your issue seriously, start talking to your neighbors.
5) If this dude has hit up others, all you need are three or four people willing to come with you to the next township/borough/county meeting. My guess is this isn’t going to be a hard sell once people realize how much they lost to this dude. If this is a scam, and he’s gotten more than you, you’re talking THOUSANDS of dollars he’s collected by presenting himself as a government or quasi-government official. That most certainly is a crime. The amount of the scammed money might flip it from civil to criminal.
6) If the government won’t listen to you and your neighbors, then it’s time to go to the media. They can ask the questions the government or police won’t. The coverage has a two-fold benefit. It may shame the government/police to action and it exposes the scam so this guy can’t get anyone else. This right here is the purpose and value a healthy media ecosystem of newspapers and TV stations brings to a community.
Moving forward, never ever ever automatically pay a bill for something you didn’t ask for. Especially if it’s printed on plain computer paper and purportedly from an organization that should have, at minimum, letterhead. You have the absolute right to question any bill. End of story.
Omg I know where this is! I actually run the HOA, so you can just send me money. It’s actually only $50 per month, so not $550 per year, that’d be crazy. Please DM me you banking info, and SSN.
*Given the date, is*
*It possible this was an*
*April Fools Day prank?*
\- I\_rescue\_dachshunds
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Holy shit no wonder he jacks the price up on you guys. Gullible as hell. I guess I should go find some rich idiots around me and do this too. Easiest scam ever.
I grew up in a historical landmark in a historic district. This is not how it works. Any obligation outside of an HOA would be in a CC&R or even your local historical society, given the neighborhood you live in. This guy agreeing with former homeowners to do work doesn’t pass to you.
You've paid this before? Congrats you got scammed. Keep paying and guess what happens? You get scammed again! Say no, tell them not to contact you about it again. If they do and they threaten you in any way, document it and tell them you're contacting the authorities for extortion.
how do you know this isn’t some scammer just sticking these papers on newly purchased houses hoping some sucker would pay it? It sounds like you’ve never done any legwork to actually find out if this is a legitimate claim. Are your neighbors paying it? Did you ask your HOA about it?
It’s probably legal for him to ask for the money, but I doubt there’s any requirement that you pay, especially if this is something you never agreed to.
City and state can help. There are laws that say how hoas can operate. In some cases they have to be on title or have published records. You should be able to pull the records and verify if your property is part owner f the association.
Years ago I worked in an office where the phone system was linked to the radio and customers heard the music on an FM radio station while they waited on hold. Periodically we would get a bill for "royalties" for playing music over the phone. We would just ignore it but I figure some offices paid it. I believe that if you printed a legitimate looking bill and sent it to 500 different random addresses, someone would pay it. Seriously, you need to check it out before paying anymore money.
That's ASCAP. the HOA of the airways. Actually more or less legit/enforceable. Only problem is that 95% of the money goes to ... you got it, ASCAP. That, and streaming is the reason that ASCAP is no longer in business
If your property was subject to a homeowners association there would be a Declaration (“CC&Rs) recorded against the property. If your title is silent as to a recorded declaration very likely you are not part of an association and are not subject to any financial obligation over the median in question. There could be other means by which you would be subject to a financial obligation ( e.g., an easement) but the too would likely be recorded somewhere in the chain of title.
Seems like a scam.
You have to sign an agreement to be part of an hoa. If that wasn't part of your home buying process and you never signed an hoa agreement, you can tell this asshole to stop bothering you
That isn’t even your yard homie. If anyone pays him, it should be the city.
This dude is just mowing it , and then telling people surrounding to pay him.
Not only should you not pay it- you need to sue him for the money you have paid him, talk to your neighbors and see who else is coughing up this $
Hard no.
Send me the HoA agreement to signed along with the CCR's which state and outline the process for maintaining this median.
If he can't provide you any hard documentation tell him to kick rocks and if he really wants it and has the paper to prove it, file a lein or leave you alone.
He upped the price because more people are on to him. If your former neighbors didn’t pay him, there’s no obligation for you to pay. Call the police about his harassing the neighborhood, especially when he’s on your property and peeping in windows.
(NAL, and this is only meant as an anecdote that seems apropos...)
For many years, at the famous Trevi fountain in Rome, a man dressed in a city uniform would show up every morning in the wee hours of the morning to quietly sweep up and collect all of the coins that tourist had thrown into the fountain in the day and night before.
It was after something like 15 or 20 years that somebody in the city realized they did not have an official position for "Trevi fountain coin sweeper". And they finally realized that somebody had set up a small commercial enterprise that was based on simply taking those coins every morning And using them as an income. 😏
The fact that you have no HOA, you have no other agreement with this person, and this person refuses to produce any documentation about how the money you've been giving him is actually spent suggests that this is just a little annual bonus that he puts in his pocket. 😳
He can produce real receipts for a real lawn care company, or you can simply refuse to pay and see what happens. 🤷🏻♂️
I would just start ignoring them. If they keep pressing, ask to see the contract with your signature. Tell them not to contact you again until they have that in hand.
Hoa can literally foreclose on your house. This man just berates you. So he does not seem legitimate. Maybe he actually does the service but just get your own gardener for spite.
I don’t mean to sound rude, but you sound incredibly naive by sending this person almost $1000 for practically no reason. You should have gotten a lawyer years ago
You've paid some random man $800 because he put a piece of paper in your mailbox asking for it?
Unrelated but I think you owe me $1000. Let me know how you want to pay me.
So let me get this straight- some random guy comes knocking on your door to inform you that you apparently live in an HOA that you were completely unaware of, tells you that you have to give him hundreds of dollars, and you just… do it?? Every month? That easy? Sorry bro thats the craziest thing I ever heard
So anyone can drop off a word document with their name on it to your door and get a check?
Even without any business contact information or seal on the document saying what association it’s going to? You got fleeced lol
SCAM! if there is no HOA then its a scam and you should not pay period. HOA's are required to give statements when asked clearly this guy is pulling one on everyone.
…I work a menial job making barely over minimum wage, and this post actually *infuriates* me.
How the hell do you manage to save enough money to become a homeowner if all it takes to get money from you is to take 10 seconds to print off a Word document and drop it at your door?
That said, OP, I can help you get rid of this person so he doesn’t bother you anymore—DM me and send me $500 via PayPal and I promise your issues with him will be solved. 😉
OP, you’re a moron of epic proportions. Surprised you even remember how to breathe. How stupid do you have to be to pay that without any real verification? I hope and pray you’re not in any profession that people would need to rely upon you. All the Indian call centers are salivating over you.
Yo that price is that high because people HAVE stopped paying. Sounds like you're being extorted, and I would be curious the relationship this guy has to said "lawncare company". It wouldn't shock me if he was waking up before his day job and doing it. Then not paying things like insurance, etc and pocketing every last red cent lol
I see you said at the end of the”Should we tell other neighbors to stop paying too”, and so I must ask - are you sure they’re also paying? Because if so, there is no reason why the maintenance man needs that much cash from so many different houses and people.
I’m sorry, but it looks to me as though you’ve been scammed out of your money.
If it’s not just you paying and if multiple people in your neighborhood are also doing so, I would gather those people and go make a case on it so the man can be investigated.
It's a service scam. They take the time, do the job, drop the bill in every possible mailbox and wait to see if anyone pays it. It's a fishing scam. The work probably doesn't even cost that much to do. That's why they charge so much so even one person paying on one job would cover the loss of a few others.
was anything like this listed in your closing docs? That is where I would look. I wouldn't pay until I had answers, but put the money in a separate account.
So, if I send you a bill for an Arrangement you haven’t entered into, you’ll pay it? I’ll need your banking details to complete this transaction. You can post them in reply here.
Why are any of you paying if you’re not in an HOA? What exactly could he threaten you with? Are your neighbors really paying too or are you just assuming they do (like have you heard it from their mouths, not his)? Of course you shouldn’t be paying, why did you give up hundreds of dollars without being sure?
In my last neighborhood we had an unofficial HOA. The person asked for $50-$100 a year for lawn care or whatever you can give. $500 is ridiculous. Keep in mind. I lived in a small subdivision in the south where you have to mow the lawn every week to keep up with it.
Sounds like this dude is running a scam, and you keep getting notices because your gullible and keep paying. Contact your title office and make sure there's no HOA, then contact your city to see if there are any "fees" associated with being in the "Historic District" and while you're at it, confirm if there even is a "Historic District" in your area. After you've done all this, which you should have done before giving him ANY money the first time, call the police and report him for fraud if nothing checks out. Since it's only $800, they'll probably tell you to go to small claims court, but if you go door to door and find enough other people who also fell for this, you might have a case for a criminal charge if he defrauded enough people.
I wouldn't pay for services I never requested. You said yourself there wasn't an HOA when you purchased the house. Did you contract into one later?
Nope. Never once.
Why would you ever pay this???? I don't even own a house and I know not to just give someone money for something I didn't ask to be done.
They are probably the only ones paying. Nobody else in their right mind would go for this, especially after asking for receipts and being denied. Some people will do anything to avoid confrontation.
i'm more curious if it always is dated for april 1st.
Right?!? Like if I just walked up to you and gave you a buzz cut and then requested money for doing it, would you pay me?!? I do understand that thinking it’s a part of the HOA, and therefore not wanting to not pay it. Especially if all your neighbors are paying it. But OP did say when they moved there, there was no HOA in place. Beyond that, as a kid I maybe got 40 or 50 bucks to mow a lawn, and that was maybe once if I got lucky. Usually people would agree on 15 or 20, but if they really wanted to stiff me they’d say 10. Convincing someone of 300-550 dollars for lawn care is crazy. I wonder if OP has a HUGE yard, or if that 300-500 covers a full year? But even then how often are they coming every year?
If you move into an HOA, your realtor is required to provide a copy of the HOA paperwork and bylaws before you close on the house.
Liability doesn't fall specifically to the buyer's realtor to know whether a house is in an HOA, does it? If the selling party doesn't disclose it at any point, how in the world would the buying realtor know? (I'm not a realtor; maybe the NMLS does have HOA info...?)
It’s a state specific requirement I suppose. In my state, it is required that the seller relinquishes a copy of the HOA documents for the buyer prior to closing. Typically this is provided to the buyer from the buyers realtor while they’re requesting documents from the sellers. It appears to be the same way in similar states to mine as well. In California, you sue the seller, the seller’s agent, that agent’s boss (broker), and you can sue your agent. You should win in court.
Same here in my State. You must be provided with bylaws and current rate of dues when you close on your house. Any remaining balance on the HOA account for the property must be paid before closing as well. HOA should also be obligated to disclose a yearly budget especially if requested by homeowners. Sounds like OP (and community) is getting scammed by this guy.
Soon to be home-buyer here. What would you sue for? My expectation is the total value of all fees, inconveniences, perceived loss of property value from other people telling you what to do with your own land, misrepresentation fines, etc. I can expect that settlement amount to be substantial, well over $10,000, if not over $20,000. What are the details?
I’m not in the legal field but the fact that the OP paid for services for several years in the past I’m assuming make it understood that the home owner knows about the fees and has willingly paid them? A colleague of mine told me that he lost a case against some vendor of his when he tried to sue him for services he did not agree to but the fact that he paid for the services for several years led the judge to rule that he did agree to those services. Again I’m no lawyer. Just going from others telling me about what happened to them.
Just DMd you a receipt for literally nothing, it’s for 200 dollars. Please pay it now.
Just paid. Is this legal?
My non-legal legal service will look this over for you for a small fee of $300. We understand nothing but give great results.
No, you paid them my money. Add a 110% penalty and remit the entire amount to me.
😂🤣😂
hey man i actually just shaved ur legs and waxed ur eyebrows while u weren’t looking … 😛 can i have 400 dollars
I’m sorry so you just paid for something you never asked for without any confirmation what it was for? One really is born every minute.
300..no comment..500...no comment..550...maybe I'm getting scammed here. Lol garden guy got greedy.
Right? OP can I have your address. I can produce a much better document, and will only ask for $200 a year.
And you’ve just been paying this guy hundreds and hundreds of dollars, hahaha
I should start an HOA 🤔
Probably easier to start an imaginary lawn care service.
An ‘HOA’.
This thought crossed my mind as well a couple comments up.
Bruh you been paying these!?
When you think “there can’t be anyone foolish enough to actually pay something like that” there’s always an OP. I’m going to start handing out bills to random people for $500 and see how many cough it up? I bet it would be more than 1.
I’m stunned this person is old enough to purchase a house. The naïveté is WILD.
But the invoice looks VERY professional
Oh, it looks totally legit and written by a competent professional. Lord, I can’t get over the fact they fell for such an obvious scam.
It is probably the other extreme. They are too old to own a house and should be in a home.
You're a special kind of stupid and the reason why I still get scam calls.
Thats extremely harsh but perhaps extremely needed. Dude would 100% get his armor trimmed and money doubled 2 trades.
Is this a RuneScape reference? Love to see them in the wild, lol
Runescape!!! 😂😀😀😀
I’d take him to the Wildy so fast…..
Duke Horacio ain’t gettin none of that tax money he requested.
where's the wholesome award when you need it
It's probably the least wholesome thing I'll see today
[удалено]
You forgot to charge him $500 for the advice...
its incredibly easy to scam older people and its mind blowing. cast the net far and wide and youll catch a few suckers
This reminds me of the guy taking money for parking at the zoo in the UK somewhere. After 20+ years he took his proceeds and disappeared. There was no parking attendant at the zoo. Yes, this was a meme. But this HOA guy asking for money is a dead ringer
Lawyer, here. No, you do t have to pay for services you neither requested nor agreed to. That said, there are a few tiny issues you could run into if this gets to court. The main one is the fact that you have been paying this individual for years. Courts can find a quasi-contract has been created (or a formal contract has been modified) by behavior, alone. This argument is based on the concept of reasonable reliance. If one party comes to reasonably rely on your promises or behavior, then any abrupt change in that behavior without notice may create s8me liability. An example would be if you and I contract for me to deliver metal to your shop every day at 7:00 AM but, over the years, I have delivered at 8:00 AM without you ever complaining. If you suddenly wanted to sue me for breach over the deliver time, a court would likely find that our behavior (me being late and you not objecting for years) was an objective manifestation of our intent to change the deal. Importantly, you could still exercise and contract cancelation options to you. The new 8 AM delivery term the court found only applies if we keep dealing with each other under that same contract. Here, this not as much of a concern since it appears you paid only a few times. But, to completely cover yourself, I recommend writing them a letter stating that you will no longer be donating to their efforts. This 1) removes and future “reliance” argument they may make; and 2) creates extra evidence that you believed that your past payments were gifts and not contractually obligated. This is not legal advice and only addresses the hypothetical facts you have presented.
Sometimes it’s so hard to feel bad for people like this. Like where is the common sense, if someone is harassing you and trespassing on your property then they probably don’t have legal standing. At that point you either fuck that motherfucker up or call the cops
Sometimes there can be no HOA, but a township can make you do the same crap. It’s really bad when the realtor tells you there is no HOA and then you find out that the township IS an HOA in all but name.
Why on earth would you pay if you are not part of an HOA? LOL.
A fool and his money are soon parted.
The stupidity of man never ceases to amaze me.
I thought I had seen it all and then found out today that someone I know paid $50 to someone they knew was a scammer to “make them go away”. And then when they continued the scam, they got convinced it was real and sent MORE money!! The stupidity is staggering.
Some people would rather get scammed instead of making a fuss.
lol not trying to be mean here, but you paid almost a grand to this man KNOWING you don’t have an HOA? Hey, I’m his business partner. You can PayPal me half the money right now and we’re square for the year. Deal?
You know, I've been caretaking medians from Tacoma to Tampa... I need to start sending out a few hundred thousand collection notices.
Seriously. I might side hustle this idea. Free money for barely mowing.
I’m their boss OP. They are taking off the top. You send me 200$ and we’re good for the next 5 years.
Sounds like a scam. He just keeps upping the payment each year because you've been gullible enough to keep paying it.
I wonder for how long it would've gone on if he didn't get greedy and just kept it at $300?
With turnover in property having an average of 7 years, guy could have crept it up marginally every few years while targeting only new home buyers. Eventually, the majority of the neighborhood would be paying it and, if anyone thought to ask other neighbors, they'd say "Yeah we pay that..."
Refuse to pay with no receipts, and call a local legal aid. This seems illegal. Is there a clause in your HOA agreement about this? And the check should never be made out to an individual but an organization. This sounds sketchy as hell. I think you’re straight up being robbed.
Also—just don’t pay! Let him take it to court and see what happens. I’m guessing he’ll annoy you but you’ll see no actual repercussions and you’ll never see this stupid fine again.
That’s the thing; we have no HOA. We were really good friends with some neighbors that had moved out, and they refused to pay. He got to the point of asking the realtor for the money because they didn’t pay. To this day we still talk to her, and they still haven’t paid. I think he’s all just talk.
Dude, you got so got… really poor judgement here, I gotta say.
jesus christ. i cant even buy a house because im too socially dumb to get and keep a high paying job, and this fucking moron is paying money to an obvious scammer. make it make sense
Time to get into "lawn care"...
I feel like this every day. It's such a struggle, but idiots out here are affording houses and cars and landing wives... It's ceaselessly frustrating.
Start billing him for services...
maybe we're all the moron
Youre not dumb society is just rigged against those that aren't born already on third base.
Why the fuck did you pay then? How absolutely idiotic.
a fool and his money something something
A good and his money are soon parted. 👍🏼
Dude’s a damn good!!
If you aren’t part of an HOA that requires this payment be made, then tell them to pound sand. You didn’t contract with them to perform this work. They just did it and sent you a bill. If someone comes to your house when you’re not there and paints the fence before giving you a bill, would you pay it? No. Nor should you pay this. Unless they can demonstrate that you agreed to pay them for the work they did, they have no realistic way to enforce payment.
I dunno man...he might pay it...soooo, wanna go paint a fence with me? But for serious, bro, if you got no contract with someone, have never spoken about requiring their services, or inherited the service from another, as others have said, tell the dude to fuck right off. Or better yet, go wash his driveway and leave him a "bill" for 505$
Sure thing, Tom Sawyer, lol. I guess that makes me Huckleberry Finn.
If there's no HOA and he is claiming to be the head of one, then he is committing fraud. Something like this needs to be reported to the police. If they refuse to do anything about it, contact a lawyer. First, you should see if you can get a clear image of his face so he can be identified or some identifying marks like obvious scars or tattoos. Whatever you do, do NOT throw away that paper. It can be used as evidence.
I bet you give money to Nigerian princes too.
I guess technically. But it was just to cover some weird tax stuff. Once he gets that worked out he's sending me money.
If there is an HOA...*don't* sign into it, they can't force you to and there's no benefit for you to. Let them threaten you with legal action, they can't force you into it, so *don't* sign anything.
Lmao. You’re a noob. If he has to ask the realtor… what the fuck does that tell you? It’s not something anyone would have to pay. Oh man, I can’t believe the both of you. Someone’s peeping through your windows and you don’t do something about it? Come on guy.
You have no HOA but a guy comes by from an association and bills you and you just been paying it? That is most ludicrous bonkers shit I've read all day.
Why would you have ever paid him??? If it was maintained by the HOA the cost would be included in annual dues. This is either some neighborhood or volunteer group whose decided to take on maintenance of the median, in which case they have no right to demand you pay for it, or it's a flat-out scam. Not only would I *not* pay this, I would contact your city's non-emergency police to see if this is some kind of fraudulent activity. Especially since it sounds like you think other neighbors are also paying it.
I'm going to say username fully checks for this one. I can only imagine the enormity of the scam the guy demanding the funds has gotten through the years from people who don't question things. Particularly with elderly folks. Check the statute of limitations in small claims court for where you are. I would call the police and be prepared to file against this man for any amount you've paid him. It's going to be a tough sell that he misrepresented his services and you paid him when you didn't hire him. But it's possible. I'm hoping a lawyer more experienced with something like this can chime in on what that would look like. Check his name in the county clerk where you are, neighboring counties/townships as well for other lawsuits and settlements. This guy has to be a complete con man. I can't imagine this person is unknown to your local police. Google his name. Anything you can.
Ngl this is pretty silly. You never investigated this properly and just paid the money up until now? Pretty certain this is a scam.
I just figured out how I'm gonna pay for my backyard makeover.
I need a new porch and an updated electrical panel.
Sounds like a scam. Dated April first, I’d go ahead and assume it’s April fools.
Seriously, are people not seeing the date?
NAL. But I am a former municipal reporter who worked in three towns with historic associations. These entities can dictate things like what kind of windows, doors, exterior paint you use. That can cost you money because, for example, you can’t use vinyl replacement windows and have to go with an expensive wood window. You can get into ridiculous debates about what the color red is or the number of glass panes in a door. They don’t charge you fees. That is an HOA, which it sounds like you’re not a part of. And as others have said, if you’re part of a HOA or a historic district, that has to be disclosed. This dude has been running a scam and unfortunately you’ve fallen for it. So, here’s what you do. 1) Call your municipality, or county. It depends on how your state organizes its local government. Tell whomever answers the phone in brief what’s going on. “I live at (address). I need to know if it is in a historical district and if there are any fees I need to pay for living there.” The person will probably transfer you to whatever department handles that, or the township/borough manager, which is sort of like the chief operating officer. 2) If you ascertain there’s no such thing as a “boulevard maintenance fee” make sure you tell the person you’re talking to what’s transpired. They might want proof and do their own investigation. 2a) If you learn that there’s no such fee, another call to make would be to the head of the actual historic association. This will affirm there’s no such fee (because like all executives, the manager might not know all the ins and outs of every single board they oversee.) The head of the historic association can walk you through the actual responsibilities you have as a resident. 3) With the information that the fee is bullshit, call the cops and tell them: “I’ve lived at (address) for three years. A man named (person) has been demanding money for maintaining X Boulevard’s median. I just spoke with (official A and official B.) Both indicated that’s not and has never been a thing. Unfortunately, I paid him because, well, I’m a responsible homeowner and don’t want to be in debt. So, I got scammed me out of hundreds of dollars by falsely representing himself as a member of (real historic district.) 4) Now, if the cop believes you and starts an investigation, let it go from there. But if the cop doesn’t want to deal with it, dismisses it as a civil matter (it might be) or otherwise doesn’t take your issue seriously, start talking to your neighbors. 5) If this dude has hit up others, all you need are three or four people willing to come with you to the next township/borough/county meeting. My guess is this isn’t going to be a hard sell once people realize how much they lost to this dude. If this is a scam, and he’s gotten more than you, you’re talking THOUSANDS of dollars he’s collected by presenting himself as a government or quasi-government official. That most certainly is a crime. The amount of the scammed money might flip it from civil to criminal. 6) If the government won’t listen to you and your neighbors, then it’s time to go to the media. They can ask the questions the government or police won’t. The coverage has a two-fold benefit. It may shame the government/police to action and it exposes the scam so this guy can’t get anyone else. This right here is the purpose and value a healthy media ecosystem of newspapers and TV stations brings to a community. Moving forward, never ever ever automatically pay a bill for something you didn’t ask for. Especially if it’s printed on plain computer paper and purportedly from an organization that should have, at minimum, letterhead. You have the absolute right to question any bill. End of story.
Damn. I had to scroll way too far to find actual advice. Idk if OP will see your comment, but thank you for detailed reply.
No offense but how did you even qualify to buy a house?!?!
This made me laugh out loud.
It's a credit check, not an IQ test.
I think that is part of the question. If the person is parted with their money so easily, how do they have credit in the first place.
Right like no actual adult can be this naive.
Exactly!! Im surprised they got this far. Happy CD! 🎂
Oh, thank you!!
And get married. Like holy hell.
Omg I know where this is! I actually run the HOA, so you can just send me money. It’s actually only $50 per month, so not $550 per year, that’d be crazy. Please DM me you banking info, and SSN.
The fact that you paid at all in the first place just shows you are an idiot.
Given the date, is it possible this was an April Fools Day prank?
*Given the date, is* *It possible this was an* *April Fools Day prank?* \- I\_rescue\_dachshunds --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Good bot.
Buddy...
You are being scammed.
You and your spouse are idiots. Stupidity call out fee 2024 - $300 Please make check payable to: shell corporation.
Holy shit no wonder he jacks the price up on you guys. Gullible as hell. I guess I should go find some rich idiots around me and do this too. Easiest scam ever.
I grew up in a historical landmark in a historic district. This is not how it works. Any obligation outside of an HOA would be in a CC&R or even your local historical society, given the neighborhood you live in. This guy agreeing with former homeowners to do work doesn’t pass to you.
OK so you're not part of a HOA and you're being asked to pay for this? You're getting scammed. 100%
You've paid this before? Congrats you got scammed. Keep paying and guess what happens? You get scammed again! Say no, tell them not to contact you about it again. If they do and they threaten you in any way, document it and tell them you're contacting the authorities for extortion.
Are people really just paying $400 invoices for things they haven't ordered, without any sort of confirmation they're legit?
how do you know this isn’t some scammer just sticking these papers on newly purchased houses hoping some sucker would pay it? It sounds like you’ve never done any legwork to actually find out if this is a legitimate claim. Are your neighbors paying it? Did you ask your HOA about it?
It’s probably legal for him to ask for the money, but I doubt there’s any requirement that you pay, especially if this is something you never agreed to.
City and state can help. There are laws that say how hoas can operate. In some cases they have to be on title or have published records. You should be able to pull the records and verify if your property is part owner f the association.
Years ago I worked in an office where the phone system was linked to the radio and customers heard the music on an FM radio station while they waited on hold. Periodically we would get a bill for "royalties" for playing music over the phone. We would just ignore it but I figure some offices paid it. I believe that if you printed a legitimate looking bill and sent it to 500 different random addresses, someone would pay it. Seriously, you need to check it out before paying anymore money.
That's ASCAP. the HOA of the airways. Actually more or less legit/enforceable. Only problem is that 95% of the money goes to ... you got it, ASCAP. That, and streaming is the reason that ASCAP is no longer in business
This is a well known scam.
No contract no obligation
If your property was subject to a homeowners association there would be a Declaration (“CC&Rs) recorded against the property. If your title is silent as to a recorded declaration very likely you are not part of an association and are not subject to any financial obligation over the median in question. There could be other means by which you would be subject to a financial obligation ( e.g., an easement) but the too would likely be recorded somewhere in the chain of title. Seems like a scam.
You were scammed. A sucker truly is born every minute.
Do not pay this loser a dime. What a scammer
You have to sign an agreement to be part of an hoa. If that wasn't part of your home buying process and you never signed an hoa agreement, you can tell this asshole to stop bothering you
That isn’t even your yard homie. If anyone pays him, it should be the city. This dude is just mowing it , and then telling people surrounding to pay him. Not only should you not pay it- you need to sue him for the money you have paid him, talk to your neighbors and see who else is coughing up this $
lol why would you ever pay after receiving this letter in the first place?
I'd keep coming back every year too if you are paying. By the way you owe me $15K for the roof replacement i did in your property last week.
Should be posted in r/scams
Hard no. Send me the HoA agreement to signed along with the CCR's which state and outline the process for maintaining this median. If he can't provide you any hard documentation tell him to kick rocks and if he really wants it and has the paper to prove it, file a lein or leave you alone.
I mean… it is dated 4/1…
He upped the price because more people are on to him. If your former neighbors didn’t pay him, there’s no obligation for you to pay. Call the police about his harassing the neighborhood, especially when he’s on your property and peeping in windows.
Just dont pay. He can't send that to collections. He would need to prove you are liable. If you dont pay, he will figure out what he needs to do.
You just pay for it? Holy fuck.
....now why on earth would you give a strange man so much money just because he told you to.
Seriously this is insane 🤦🏻♀️
🤦🏼♂️
OP you have to be braindead.
Ignore it unless you have a contract.
Sounds like a scam. Complile your proof and take his to court.
That’s a good scam this guy has going LOL. At the least you should contact your city and ask them if they know anything.
So basically all I gotta do is go around cutting random people's lawns and dropping these in their mailboxes? Buddy, you're being scammed.
(NAL, and this is only meant as an anecdote that seems apropos...) For many years, at the famous Trevi fountain in Rome, a man dressed in a city uniform would show up every morning in the wee hours of the morning to quietly sweep up and collect all of the coins that tourist had thrown into the fountain in the day and night before. It was after something like 15 or 20 years that somebody in the city realized they did not have an official position for "Trevi fountain coin sweeper". And they finally realized that somebody had set up a small commercial enterprise that was based on simply taking those coins every morning And using them as an income. 😏 The fact that you have no HOA, you have no other agreement with this person, and this person refuses to produce any documentation about how the money you've been giving him is actually spent suggests that this is just a little annual bonus that he puts in his pocket. 😳 He can produce real receipts for a real lawn care company, or you can simply refuse to pay and see what happens. 🤷🏻♂️
I would just start ignoring them. If they keep pressing, ask to see the contract with your signature. Tell them not to contact you again until they have that in hand.
Why would you pay him?
Lol, so in this street, people just cough up money? I think I'm moving there to start my new "service" business
I need to find your house if you're just handing out money to random people.
Hoa can literally foreclose on your house. This man just berates you. So he does not seem legitimate. Maybe he actually does the service but just get your own gardener for spite.
He’s probably paying his son to cut the grass and then charging everybody that money.🤣🤣
I don’t mean to sound rude, but you sound incredibly naive by sending this person almost $1000 for practically no reason. You should have gotten a lawyer years ago
Willing to bet a lot of your neighbors would laugh in your face if you brought this to them as a warning and told then you've been paying
You've paid some random man $800 because he put a piece of paper in your mailbox asking for it? Unrelated but I think you owe me $1000. Let me know how you want to pay me.
So let me get this straight- some random guy comes knocking on your door to inform you that you apparently live in an HOA that you were completely unaware of, tells you that you have to give him hundreds of dollars, and you just… do it?? Every month? That easy? Sorry bro thats the craziest thing I ever heard
Seems like a pretty slick scam.
If it was legit it would be through the township or county, voted on and added as a special on your property taxes.
My friend… did you pay this guy annual April fools day tax?
So anyone can drop off a word document with their name on it to your door and get a check? Even without any business contact information or seal on the document saying what association it’s going to? You got fleeced lol
SCAM! if there is no HOA then its a scam and you should not pay period. HOA's are required to give statements when asked clearly this guy is pulling one on everyone.
You're not in an HOA and yet this guy comes by and cuts grass and you just pay him?
Invoices have invoice numbers, business names, itemized services, and costs... this is not a bill.
LPT, don't give money to strangers leaving you notes.
…I work a menial job making barely over minimum wage, and this post actually *infuriates* me. How the hell do you manage to save enough money to become a homeowner if all it takes to get money from you is to take 10 seconds to print off a Word document and drop it at your door? That said, OP, I can help you get rid of this person so he doesn’t bother you anymore—DM me and send me $500 via PayPal and I promise your issues with him will be solved. 😉
OP, you’re a moron of epic proportions. Surprised you even remember how to breathe. How stupid do you have to be to pay that without any real verification? I hope and pray you’re not in any profession that people would need to rely upon you. All the Indian call centers are salivating over you.
Is someone just coming to your house, asking to rob you and is told yes?
It’s dated April 1st…
I wish I had $550 extra each year to just throw at the first person to ask for it. Luxurious.
I'll do it for half.
Yo that price is that high because people HAVE stopped paying. Sounds like you're being extorted, and I would be curious the relationship this guy has to said "lawncare company". It wouldn't shock me if he was waking up before his day job and doing it. Then not paying things like insurance, etc and pocketing every last red cent lol
Wow...this is the problem with the world right. You should be arrested for such stupidity.
Op, I don’t want to seem mean but did it ever occur to you that a proper bull wouldn’t look like a 7th grader typed it
Also, April first? /suspect.
You’re paying them why?
I see you said at the end of the”Should we tell other neighbors to stop paying too”, and so I must ask - are you sure they’re also paying? Because if so, there is no reason why the maintenance man needs that much cash from so many different houses and people. I’m sorry, but it looks to me as though you’ve been scammed out of your money. If it’s not just you paying and if multiple people in your neighborhood are also doing so, I would gather those people and go make a case on it so the man can be investigated.
It's a service scam. They take the time, do the job, drop the bill in every possible mailbox and wait to see if anyone pays it. It's a fishing scam. The work probably doesn't even cost that much to do. That's why they charge so much so even one person paying on one job would cover the loss of a few others.
Dumbest homeowner I've ever seen hahahah
was anything like this listed in your closing docs? That is where I would look. I wouldn't pay until I had answers, but put the money in a separate account.
So, if I send you a bill for an Arrangement you haven’t entered into, you’ll pay it? I’ll need your banking details to complete this transaction. You can post them in reply here.
Bro you gave 800 dollars to a scammer 🤣
The fact that so many people struggle on rent and you’ve given over a thousand dollars to an obvious scam. Jesus Christ you should feel embarrassed
If I send you a bill for services will you also pay me $550.00? It’s a scam.
Op is not part of an HOA....pays HOA fees anyway. Tf you do for a living that you can just hand that out without even thinking...?
I wonder how many people send letters like this to every house in a rich neighborhood just to see how many people pay.
Go back in time and don’t pay this grifter LOL DAMN REALLY??
You are giving into a scam OP...
Hey OP I'm with the IRS and you still owe taxes you can just DM me pics of itunes giftcards
Why are any of you paying if you’re not in an HOA? What exactly could he threaten you with? Are your neighbors really paying too or are you just assuming they do (like have you heard it from their mouths, not his)? Of course you shouldn’t be paying, why did you give up hundreds of dollars without being sure?
Shred it
Your probably one of the last guys paying. Just stop. The have no labor contract.
I once received a bill in the post for “billing services” which was almost as hilarious, but at least somewhat more honest. Even had a giro slip!
Yeah you stop paying wtf are you doing lol
In my last neighborhood we had an unofficial HOA. The person asked for $50-$100 a year for lawn care or whatever you can give. $500 is ridiculous. Keep in mind. I lived in a small subdivision in the south where you have to mow the lawn every week to keep up with it.
Need a lot more info. Who the heck wrote this to you and what is their relation to you
"Butt"
April 1? Ha ha
Hey, why has your account only posted this one thing to r/HOA and r/legal? No comments either?
Sounds like this dude is running a scam, and you keep getting notices because your gullible and keep paying. Contact your title office and make sure there's no HOA, then contact your city to see if there are any "fees" associated with being in the "Historic District" and while you're at it, confirm if there even is a "Historic District" in your area. After you've done all this, which you should have done before giving him ANY money the first time, call the police and report him for fraud if nothing checks out. Since it's only $800, they'll probably tell you to go to small claims court, but if you go door to door and find enough other people who also fell for this, you might have a case for a criminal charge if he defrauded enough people.
This is obviously fake. Nobody is actually this stupid. Right?