Complaint Review: Community Management Group

 I am sure that CMG will do nothing about this except respond with a bunch of conglomorated words that they don't stand behind, but if nothing else this may help others that have been abused by this horrible company. 

I purchased a foreclosure  in the White Gables subdivision in 2011 and spent in excess of $30k getting the house up to code.  I had never been to the community pool or had access to the pool.  On June 3, 2015 I emailed our community manager, Shannon Alexander and inquired as to how I could obtain an access card.  She replied the following day that replacement cards were $50 and I could mail a check payable to White Gables HOA and she would mail me a new card.  I didn't understand why I was having to pay for "replacement" card when one had never been issued to me.  I replied that I have never received or had a pool card since moving here.  She replied that the previous owner had a pool card that should have been conveyed to me at closing , but since it wasn't I would have to pay for a replacement card.  Not agreeing that I should be penalized, I replied that this was a foreclosure that I purchased from the bank and certain that the previous owners did not surrender their card.  I explaind that I have lived here four years, pay my dues on time, abide by all the rules unlike many in the community and I did not feel it was appropriate to charge me for a replacement card when I never had one.  Of course she replied with the same vague, bogus response as before. 

On June 9, 2015 I replied that I had read, re-read and electronically called the White Gables covenants & By Laws, Pool Rules as well as reviewed my original welcome packet received from CMG and I could not find anywhere that it discloses they can charge for a replacement pool card.  I pointed out that the Covenants & By Laws make no mention of requiring a pool card and stated that I find it unethical for them to impose such a fee when I have never had one in my possession.  I stated that I appreciate the responsibility of the HOA of protecting the home owners; however it is disappointing that they would enforce this alleged replacement fee, but they don't enforce more important rules in the community suche as businesses operated from garages, homeowners tapping into the springler system when added heads to cover the side and back lawn, lack of lawn care and the growing number of homes with deferred maintenance and in dire need of painting.  I requested that she point me to the section in the Covenants & By Laws or rules that gives CMG the authority to charge the existing owner for a replacement card.  I NEVER received a response from Shannon Alexander to this email. 

I followed up on August 14, 2015 for a response and she responded nine days later referring me to Article 2, Section 2.1 where it states that the Association has the right to access and collect reasonable fees and charges for the use of the Recreational Amenities.  She goes on to say that the Certificate of Assessment that should be obtained from the Associations management company states that amenity keys are to be conveyed at closing.  The Certificate of Assessment is nowhere on their website and I have never heard of this until now, so this is just another hidden agenda by this unethical company and charging a homeowner that is not the original owner for a replacement card, when they never had one is not in my opinion a reasonable fee.   CMG, you need to be collecting the fines from the homeowners that violate the rules that you as a Community Management group is not enforcing rather than gouging those of us that abide by the rules.