A woman from Nashville has received fines from her homeowners association for a dent in her garage door. She has resisted fixing the problem as it was inherited from the previous owner and is allegedly barely noticeable.
Fines for Garage Door
Jasmine Randle bought a property in River Trace Estates in Donelson more than ten years ago. According to her, the dented garage door was already there upon purchase. She claims it was not an issue until February 2024, when the homeowners association started issuing notices. They gave her months to fix the problem.
Randle says the previous HOA management company did not issue fines or ensure the previous homeowner removed the garage door. She says she made repairs, but the HOA did not think they were good enough. However, replacing the garage door will cost $1,900. Randle says it’s a lot of money for a barely noticeable dent, which seems unreasonable.
Now, the fine has reached $100 plus interest. When asked why she hadn’t asked the previous owner to fix the problem before buying the home, she said the homeowner did not have any money.
Paying the Fines
According to Nashville Real Estate Attorney Grover Collins, Randle will eventually need to pay the fines. The bylaws and the deed restrictions matter when purchasing a home in an HOA. Whatever the CC&Rs and bylaws say goes. The property management company and HOA have the authority to enforce the rules. According to Randle, the ordeal has increased her anxiety.
HOA fines will continue to increase if Randle refuses to fix the garage door. Eventually, the HOA may even put a lien on her property. She may be unable to sell her home until she pays the fine and makes the necessary repairs.
