Happy & Pissed

Happy
The Passat needed its scheduled service about 300 miles ago, so Justin and I took it into the shop this week. We use Wray because we financed their service package into the price of the car. The first time we took it up there it was a little frustrating, but this time went really well. The guys were super nice and they did a good job cleaning her after it was all done with. She was all vaccumed out and washed. :) Ting!*

Pissed
Justin and I got a letter from the managing company for our neighborhood's homeowner's association stating that having our boat in the drive way was breaking our homeowners agreement covenants. They also said it was out second notice and that we should move the boat immediately in order to avoid unneccesary legal action. Well, we never got a first letter, and we didn't know that having a boat in the drive was bad. We knew there were fence restrictions and that you were not suppose to park on the street though. Unless it was COMPLETELY burried in our mortgage paperwork, I never remember signing any "legal agreement" saying that because we live in EastLake we would abide by any rules. There are people all over the neighborhood that have inappropriate fences and everyone parks in the street the majority of the time. Justin called the people this morning to find out how long we had, let them know we did not get a first notice, and request a full copy of the covenants. The guy we were suppose to talk to was not there, so Justin left a message. Before he called back Hoke mentioned that they most likely have no legal ground because we didn't sign anything (I am double checking that when I get home). He suggested that when we had the people on the phone we request a copy of our signed agreement with the Homeowners Association. The guy ended up calling, and Justin said he was rather rude. Some of his key responses were... "We don't keep signed agreements." - how can they prove we were in agreement and take legal action?? - "I don't know when the first notice was sent." - He was the contact on the letter, don't they need that evidence that they sent a first notice if there is a law suit, and for it to be valid evidence, shouldn't it have to be certified mail? It is just a rotten situation. True, the boat looks kind of redneck, but no more redneck or ghetto than all the unkempt lawns in the neighborhood. If someone would have just said, "hey man, did you know you are not suppose to have that in the drive?" we would have been like - cool man - I had no clue. The boat is just a little too long for the garage, but it looks like there is a place where we can adjust the tounge of the trailer, so hopefully that will fit it in there. The boat is suppose to be "parked on a paked portion of our lot hidden from public view, either in a garage or behind a fenced backyard out of site." Technically we could get it in the backyard, but it would be a pain in the ass, and we are sure not going to put down a concrete slab. Talk about re-sell capability, that would kill it.

Sorry for the rant, but it just sucks. We are in the process of considering a home equity loan, so I am going to ask the attorney we selected if he can give us some free advise. If there is no legal ground then we are just going to not worry about it right now, althoug it would be nice to gain back that 4th parking spot, and we need to clean out the garage really well anyway, but it is just the point.