Condo owner from hell
We are a small condo association (6 units) and had a major problem: An owner from hell.
What did she do? You name it – she did it. Boyfriends dealing drugs. Fire in her unit. A week later burst pipes. Destroyed the unit underneath hers, as well as 12k damage to her unit.
She hadn't paid condo fees since – ever? The total amount she owed in HOAs was around $18k. Of course, she never paid her share of the extra expenses that always pop up.
The cost of repairing the unit underneath came to ~35k (if I remember correctly). The owner had to find temporary quarters. He slept on a cot in another unit for one or two months. As a result of the two separate claims—surprise surprise!—our insurers dropped us.
We were in a pickle, as they say.
When we finally decided that this problem required outside intervention, I looked online for an attorney. I found David, and I'm very glad I did. We set up a meeting and decided to hire him.
David did everything right, as far as I could tell. He kept me in the loop, and it was clear he was doing a thorough job.
The story has a happy ending. I don't know if the lawsuit we filed actually precipitated events, but very soon after we went into court she was foreclosed and evicted. Our claim (lien) was approved by the judge (it took just one court date).
David had to really lean on the bank to finally pay up, but it didn't take that long. We hired him in April and we received our settlement in January. We were suing for ~19k. The attorney fees amounted to ~15k, and we accepted a settlement of 31k. Sixteen out of 19 is about 85 percent. I'll take it.
We got the owner from hell out. The bank is paying the condo fees going forward, and hopefully, someone will soon buy it.
If you're in a similar situation, I can unreservedly recommend David Katz. Professional, knows what he's doing, and a decent guy.
