Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/28/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The HOA informed the homeowners in the bylaws that a yearly fee of $575.00 included the use of the pool. There are 300 homes. The pool has been closed in 2023, and 2024 and is not scheduled to open in 2025. I request a reduction of yearly fees to $300.00 a year, as they are in breach of contract. No more use of the pool. (This way people/families can use that money for a membership to the ***** Community Pool Membership) Where is this extra money going? The HOA is no longer paying life guards, water to fill the pool, or chemical maintenance of the pool. Additionally, the President of the HOA is ill since Nov. 2024. The Vice President of the HOA should have stepped up, and sent out monthly updates. There have been no monthly updates on their website since Oct. 2024.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/16/2025

  The website has been updated, and a February 2025 newsletter has been published, which includes the date for the 2025 Annual Meeting. Please note that monthly updates were not standard practice until the new Board took over in March 2024, and the Association had previously operated without them. However, the current Board has prioritized improving communication with the community, even during times of personal challenge. We are committed to keeping homeowners informed as best as we can, especially in light of the President’s ongoing health issues.

  Regarding the annual fees, our bylaws do not specify that the $575 fee is contingent on an operational pool. In fact, the pool is not mentioned anywhere in our Governing Documents except to outline the association's responsibility for operating it if one existed. Our Governing Documents, in Article VII of the Articles and By-Laws, Section 1: Power of Assess, state: "The Board shall determine the amount of money necessary to the continued operation and maintenance of the Association Estate, and shall assess each holder of one (1) Full or Privileged Membership the proportion of cost that one (1) Full or Privileged Membership bears to the total cost, provided that no holder of a Full or Privileged Membership be assessed greater than any other holder thereof." As you can see, there are no stipulations regarding a pool in this rule. While the Board takes homeowners' thoughts into consideration, it is our fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the association as a whole. There are many costs involved in running an HOA that do not pertain to the pool.

  Additionally, we have not yet notified homeowners of the 2025 assessment fee. That information will be provided with the official Annual Meeting notice by mail, as required by statute. We understand the frustration surrounding the pool situation, but it’s important to note that this issue has been ongoing long before the current Board took over. We are dedicated to resolving this matter to the best of our ability, especially given the complex nature of this situation.

  The Board members' emails are available on *******************, and we have always encouraged homeowners to reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns they may have. I would also like to point out that we received no prior communication from this individual before receiving this complaint. As we are a small community, even homeowners without website access should know how to reach us.

  Please know that the Board continues to work tirelessly, despite personal challenges, to move things forward and serve the community to the best of our ability. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/16/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

  It seems that the Homeowners should get together and  reach out to a private attorney for legal advice and assistance. If we do not have an attorney, our local bar association  may be able to provide us with a referral.

   

  It's always an excuse with this HOA. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ********* *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/18/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The homeowners paid Longbrooke Berea HOA the annual $575 in March 2023. However, the community pool has not opened in the summer of 2023. A Pool Committee was established in 2023 to look into costs of repairing, replacing, or removing the community pool. The information was to be presented to the homeowners by the end of summer. The homeowners have not received the information, to be reviewed, and later set to a vote. This is a blurb from an email sent to me from pool committee on 05/29/23, "The annual assessment of $575 is used to pay for insurance, utilities, grounds, administration and legal fees along with the pool. The money budgeted for the pool will be set aside to be used for the option (repair, replace or remove) that the community will vote on. The pool committee was established after the presentation by the HOA board of those three options, to investigate these options and then make a final recommendation to the HOA board to present to the homeowners for a vote. " The Homeowners Association has not been transparent with the homeowners, I want to see the estimates they received, so they can reviewed carefully prior to a vote.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/27/2023

  In response
  to the complaint by ********* *****. The pool was built in the mid-1960s.  It is original to the neighborhood and the
  HOA has struggled for years to keep it operational without a massive increase
  in HOA dues.  Past boards—and homeowners
  opposed to any increases—have done a disservice to all Longbrooke homeowners by
  not setting aside reserve funds adequate for replacing the pool.  The pool is now in such poor condition,
  leaking massive amounts of water, many cracks, etc. that we had no choice but
  to close it for the summer. 
  The Board
  held two homeowner meetings in February and March and wanted to proceed then
  with a vote on how homeowners wanted to remedy the situation.  However, several homeowners wanted more study
  so a pool committee was formed.  The
  committee was given 6 months—until September 30, 2023 to explore options.  They are scheduled to present their findings
  to the board early October after which a full HOA meeting will be
  scheduled.  This has always been planned
  for the Fall—not the summer as Ms. ***** contends.  Furthermore, pool updates have been posted on
  the website—as we told homeowners they would be. 
  The HOA does
  have expenses unrelated to the pool such as insurance, grounds maintenance of
  common property, electricity, and other items. 
  The Board has been more than frugal with HOA funds.  An example of this is how the trustees
  sometimes hand deliver communications to save postage.  Whatever funds we can save from this year’s
  dues will go toward the pool situation—whether that is replacing it or removing
  it any option will cost money. All this simply takes time—and more time than
  any of us would like.  There are not many
  pool companies and most have more business than they can handle.  Getting quotes has been difficult.  As I write this, we still have just the one
  quote we shared with homeowners in February. 
  The pool committee is trying to get more responses, but we will see.
  I believe
  Ms. ***** wants an easy and cheap solution and I am afraid that is just not
  possible.  We told people at the meetings
  the pool solution will be painful.  For
  the past several decades homeowners and their elected board members did not
  want to put money away to address the crumbling pool.  Homeowners have no choice but to make a hard
  decision now that will cost all of us.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/03/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I just wanted to know the estimates.  I have talked to neighbors as well, who found this information not available on the HOA website as suggested in their response. I am satisfied knowing a meeting will be held in October 2023. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ********* *****