Unexpected things happen all the time and life can get complicated pretty quickly. Luckily, we’re here to answer questions about common legal and financial situations you may find yourself in.
Q. I want to put up a new fence and my condo association will not let me. What are my options?
A. Assuming they gave you a reason and assuming you feel they are wrong, without hiring an attorney, first comb through the condo association rules to find items that prove they are wrong or unreasonable and make an appointment to sit down and ask them if their objection is the fence or the type of fence you seek to install. Sometimes, the Boards on the condo associations are wrong but they don’t care so you need to get an attorney if you can’t budge them with niceness and reasonableness. Sometimes all it takes is a letter from an attorney; Sometimes the Association still won’t budge and you have to bring suit. But sometimes also, just because you are legally correct, it might be cost inefficient to go forward.
So your options are try the practical rather than the legal approach. When all else fails and you really want the fence, consult an attorney but let them know you want a guestimate and do not want to go over a certain dollar amount. Most attorneys will want a retainer.
The Law, Your Money...and YOU! 