Fort Myers, FL
Saturday afternoon I met a Daniels Preserve resident who is so upset about the way she's been treated by her H.O.A. and Management Company, she was in tears. The woman showed me a copy of a threat letter she received from Sterling Property Services, The Daniels Preserve management company.
The homeowners husband recently lost his job and the family fell behind one quarter on their H.O.A. dues. So what does the management company do? Like every other useless management company. It threatens and belittles people.
As you can see by the attached document, somehow, being late for one quarter's worth of dues at a cost of $372.55 quickly turns into nearly $2,000. If you look at the itemized costs you can see how every single one of us gets ripped off by these thieves. Interest of $5.29. $25.00 in late fees. A $75.00 collection fee. $5.54 for postage. And, an assessment of $1,725.00. Now if that's not a scam, I don't know what is.
The letter the homeowner received last week says she must pay the $1,835.83 within 45 days. And, the STERLING PROPERTY SERVICES management company love letter ends by threatening the homeowner that a lien will be put on her house with possible "foreclosure of same". Now, I'm no brain surgeon. I'm just a dumb weightlifter but will someone explain to me how a management company or H.O.A. is going to foreclose on a house if someone continues to pay their mortgage? Or, is this just another empty threat in an attempt to get money that this H.O.A. really has no right to. They have a right to the quarterly payment that was missed and nothing more.
The rest of those charges are obviously jacked up costs for people to line their pockets and make themselves seem useful. I'm guessing the $1,725.00 is some sore of acceleration of the dues. Meanwhile a homeowner is made to feel even less like a person, forget about feeling like a member of a community. It's a ridiculous bullying power tactic that no person should ever be subjected to. And I hope the people that attend tonight's Daniels Preserve H.O.A. meeting give the board an earful.
Could someone have approached this family and spoken to them about the situation? Absolutely. Could the H.O.A. offer her a payment plan option rather than threaten her? You bet. You think anyone tried that? Of course not. You do remember a previous story about how someone was offered a special deal in Daniels Preserve. That confused issue is still not resolved. This is what happens when you are selective and not consistent in the people you help. I said it in my story a few weeks ago. All residents should have been offered the same deal the board member was.
It's much easier for Anthony Shefferd of STERLING PROPERTY SERVICES to sign his name to a letter then lay his head down on his pillow every night knowing he threatened and belittled another human being.
