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I have owned a condo for 5 years with a disclosure of no on-going problems or of the location of a huge A/C unit. For the last 4 of the 5 years I have experienced repeated (7-8x)damage to the same locations in my unit because of the A/C unit (above me as I am on the top floor). I have written numerous letters at each occurance and have used a lawyer 3 times in bringing the board to action in repairs and preventative measures...but always with their feet dragging. We have come to a place where I am sick of this constant struggle and they are just turning a deaf ear. They now tell me I must agree to an access panel to pipes from a main floor drain from the A/C unit in the middle of my kitchen ceiling where I have had repeated wall board moisture swelling. When does one get serious and say, enough is enough and yet I don''t have a ton of funds to put it on the line in court???? How does one even sell when it has this history? How do you calculate the loss in value?

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Good morning! First of all, thanks for requesting my advice. Let me see if there is anything I can do for you.

You are living in "condo hell." I have been there, and it is why I would never, ever live in a condo again, even if they gave me one for free. Condos are like communism: you are at the mercy of a government that doesn't represent you and couldn't care less about your needs.

When anything gets put up to a vote, you are at the mercy of the majority. And that's if you're lucky. Many times, the majority is unhappy with the board, and can't do anything about it anyway.

Let me give you my sincere best advice -- because you cannot win a fight with a condo board -- and that advice is, let them put in the access panel, demand that it be made attractive and inconspicious, put your condo up for sale, and buy yourself a house.

I'm serious. I hear complaints from condo owners all day long. If you're lucky enough to live in a good one, fine. But many of them are just houses of horror. Sell and move to a nice house of your own.

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Note: this response is legal education, not legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created.

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