'HOA fined me $1500': Guy gets back at HOA by planting sound emitters in communal elevator, costing them a fortune to fix

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Oct 23, 2024 8:00 AM EDT

It's rare to see someone successfully get back at their HOA these days, but as it turns out, miracles can happen and this dude really worked wonders.

After he was fined a nonsensical $1500 for taking a plank of wood down the communal elevator despite there being no other mode of transport, he decided that the best way to get even with these guys was to mess up their elevator without any trace of evidence that could get back to him. He did this by planting mini sound emitters that would erupt in long noisy alarms for a sustained amount of time. The best part was that after spending well over $1500 in elevator repairs, the HOA still could not detect the source of the alarms.

Some folks rightfully pointed out the ways in which this spiteful form of payback would become a considerable nuisance to other members of the community, but hey! At least none of us live there.

Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the best reactions from folks in the comments section. For more, check out this post about a co-op Karen's noise complaint.

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    Cheezburger Image 10418909184
    via Avi Waxman
  • 02
    I keep installing little sound machines in my buildings elevator so my HOA has to have someone come out and look at it
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 03
    So a few years ago my HOA fined me $1500 dollars for bringing a piece of wood down in the elevator from my unit.
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 04
    Apparently I was supposed to magically transport it from the 16th floor. Since then I've been installing little sound emitters in the elevators
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 05
    that emit one consistent really loud beep 25 seconds after motion is detected. The HOA has now spent way over the amount they fined me trying to figure out what is making the beeping
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 06
    noises. It's so great. I hope they go bankrupt trying to figure it out. them all!
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 07
    EDIT: See this post got a lot of traction.. some people are criticizing me, saying I'm wasting my own money. I'll gladly
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 08
    throw all my money into a fire to ruin every HOA in America! those Karen's! I don't care, I'd do it all over again. If I
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 09
    ever live somewhere with an HOA again I'll do the exact same thing. those people they deserve worse.
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 10
    My building has 4 elevators. A lot of elevator experts in the comments. The residents were fine. Most in fact thought it was funny because everyone hates my HOA that much.
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 11
    For people asking I just literally used a watch battery, some simple cell phone speaker parts from AliExpress, cheapest +
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 12
    smallest camera i could find (just had to be able to detect there and not), some wire, solder, small PCB from cheap alarm clock, and a magnet. Costed around $10-$15 to configure.
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 13
    Some additional background my HOA overspent on their budget by THOUSANDS of dollars for Holliday decorations, "personal"
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 14
    renovation projects that weren't voted on, and ridiculous like shipping in $10k worth of flowers from abroad because they were the board presidents favorite.
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 15
    So they decided to make up the funding by distributing insane fines to residents. They are currently being sued in court and may be charged with fraud. So
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 16
    maybe don't defend a bunch of crooks.. almost all HOA boards I've lived under have been like this. So when I say all I say them them all!
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 17
    LAST EDIT: thank you all for the engagement BUT I posted a statement not a question so I do not care about a single one of your responses. I've read
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 18
    maybe 3 and I won't be responding to a single one. But feel free to keep commenting if it's therapeutic for you I guess.. wasting your time though.
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 19
    HOAs have one purpose and that is to keep the property values high. If you can prove they can't do that they're essentially
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 20
    worthless. Sometimes you have to devalue to get what you want. Like I said my HOA is currently being disbanded, sued,
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 21
    and potentially charged with fraud so they won't last much longer. My buildings property values took a slight dip but are now are the highest they've ever been FYI. So
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV
  • 22
    maybe think to yourself and just take a small amount of action instead of just saying "woe is me!" How do I deal with these people. Take their power away, then crush them!
    via DeraliousMaximousXXV

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