Neighbor Wars II: Mean Waters
A short while back, this dedicated Beverly Hills realtor published an article instructing visitors in the fine art of a triggering a neighbor war. Well, you’ll be pleased to know I’m back with another stimulating guide for transforming a simple, fixable problem into a major flare up. For this go-around, I’ll be focusing on the well-known issue of broken pipes.
When pipes rupture in a common wall dwelling, such as beautiful condominium, boffo conflict potential exists. Let’s start with the most obvious way for triggering an eruption.
Don’t file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance carrier. This would solve the problem with minimum hassles and headaches. But it’s a far too easy solution. After all, why let your neighbors escape your wrath? It’s their pipes that ruptured and soaked your walls and carpet like the Nile during flood season. Hey, you’ve accumulated all that pent-up anger thanks to endless hours on the traffic-clogged 405. It’s time to unleash. Way more fun than lounging poolside.
Point those fingers. What better use for your fingers than pointing them accusatorily at your neighbors? Supplement the finger-pointing with verbal kindling such as ‘You should have replaced the plumbing a long time ago’ , ‘You flush too often’ , and ‘You could have hired somebody to monitor your pipes while you were in Hawaii’. The great part about this phase is that your common wall neighbors will be doing the same to you, leading to speedy escalation.
Insist the HOA reimburse you. Uh-uh. Even if the almighty Association covers your plumbing catastrophe, they won’t file a claim unless the damage blankets the community. Lots of little claims can make the HOA both undesirable and un-insurable in the carrier’s eyes. Therefore, you’ll want to keep harassing The Association to cover the costs. No better way to be on their s*** list.
Well, that wraps another lesson. If you have something to add, be sure to fire your thoughts into the comment box. And, of course, if you have any questions about this or any other Beverly Hills real estate issue, absolutely send them my way.
Terre Steinbeck
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