I went to a Home Owners meeting tonight. The HOA plans to disconnect
the water of people who are delinquent on their fees, and the
management company rep says that it is *illegal* to tell the tenant
what is about to happen to him. That they can't tell him this without
the consent of the landlord. She says she has verified this with a the
HOA's lawyer, recently, but she knew it before that.

Could this be true?

Asking the HOA's attorney about the HOA is like consulting the fox that's
watching the hen house.

Go to the Governor's Council on Consumer Affairs in your state, or the
agency that regulates HOAs.

HOAs recently (thank God) are coming under more control and scrutiny by
governments.

I do reserve studies for management companies who then pass them off to
HOAs. We're the guys who count up how much landscaping, parking lots,
lights, pools, sidewalks, curbs, etc, you have, and provide a five year
projected budget for the association so they can then set the dues for the
next five years on the projections. So, I do know a bit about HOAs.

That being said, they vary from state to state. I would check with the
Governor's Office before I took the word of the HOA. It doesn't sound right
that they can fool with public utilities unless it is causing an emergency
situation. What if, say, they cut off water or power, and there was a
disabled person in there who would be endangered by such actions?

I don't think messing with public utilities, and public utility property
(the meters) is as simple a thing as they think it is.

See if your state has an ombudsman for HOAs. Many have them now, and they
can cut short many a paper trail.

Good luck.

I wouldn't live in a HOA for any reason! Here in Las Vegas, you get your CC
and R's on CLOSING. Nice time to read them and see if you want to live
there, eh?

Steve