[Rick Lee]

When I moved out of my condo in VA, which I owned and was then going to rent out, the HOA said I had to pay a $125 "move out fee." I called the property manager and asked if he was going to send some people over to help carry boxes. He didn't think that was funny, said the fee was for any damage the moving truck caused like driving over grass areas, etc. So then I asked if it was a refundable deposit or fee. He said non-refundable fee. I never paid it and never heard about it again.

For a previous house, the HOA seemed to change mgt. companies every two years and payments often got missed or mixed up, going to the old one and not the new one. When I called the HOA pres. to ask where my last payment went and how to get it credited to the new mgt. co, he never returned my call. I got a certified letter from a law firm, telling me I now owed an additional $80 for their cert. letter and lawyer fee. The law firm happened to be one floor downstairs from my then office. I marched down there to see the lawyer and they wouldn't let me. I called the HOA pres. again, left a vm that I wasn't paying a dime more than my dues. He called back and said it was all taken care of. I love HOAs!