Miami

HOA Delays Couple's Roofing Project

A young couple says when they found out they needed to replace their roof, they did what they were supposed to do, they reached out to their homeowners association for approval.

"I was thinking we were going to get approved within a week," says Ivan Paredes.

But when weeks, turned into months Ivan and Krystle Paredes called NBC 6 for help.

"It turned into the most chaotic thing that I could think of," says Ivan Paredes.

"A disaster," his wife agreed.

The Paredes purchased their Southwest Miami-Dade home in the Bird Lakes Community in May of 2014. A year and a half later, they noticed their roof was leaking. They called a roofer, paid him a $4,000 deposit and, on February 1st, submitted an application to their HOA.

They say it wasn't until April 3rd - more than 2 months later - that they learned there was a problem with their application. In an email from an attorney for the association, they were told they had not submitted "everything required".

In subsequent emails, the property management company said they told Krystle Paredes the application was missing items, including a sample of the roof tile, when she went to the office with the initial request. The Paredes dispute that claim.

Meanwhile, with every storm, the condition inside their home continued to deteriorate. Mold could be seen growing inside their master bathroom and in other areas of the home. Adding to the sense of urgency, Krystle was pregnant with their first child.

"I’m not asking for anything crazy," says Ivan Paredes. "I just want to fix my roof so that way I can bring my baby here...without having to go rent somewhere when she’s born."

Because the HOA had not given the green light, Ivan says the roofer refused to start working. We reached out to the roofer, who agreed to return the $4,000 deposit.

"They had me sign a hold harmless agreement and they finally gave me back the $4,000 check that I had been expecting for a little over a month and a half now," says Ivan Paredes.

In a letter dated May 5, the HOA officially denied the Paredes' application saying "it does not meet the architectural standards of Bird Lakes Homeowners Association". The letter offered no specifics on what are those standards. NBC 6 saw at least a dozen different roof tiles throughout the community.

We made repeated attempts to speak with the HOA board president, through emails, phone calls and visits. Instead, we received a call from the association's attorney, who declined to go on the record with NBC 6 about Ivan and Krystle's situation.

Meanwhile, the Paredes' found a new roofer to do the job, without the HOA's approval. They are scheduled to do mediation with the HOA later in June. They hope to reach an agreement with the HOA so they can focus their energy instead on caring for their newborn girl who was born May 29.

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