When it comes to dealing with HOAs, you can never be too careful about following their rules to the letter or finding creative ways to comply when they get a little too picky.

So, what would you do if your HOA sent you a threatening letter about your worn-out basketball net and you realized their rules were a little too vague to be taken seriously?

In the following story, one homeowner finds himself in this very situation.

Here’s how he handled it.

Okay. I’ll replace the basketball net

A few years ago, I lived in a neighborhood with an obnoxious HOA (Home Owners Association).

If you don’t know, they enforce neighborhood rules intended to keep the area “nice.”

Most rules are ok and keep someone from planting a 100ft flag pole with 20 flags attached and other outrageous stuff.

However, some HOAs have overzealous enforcers that send threatening letters about any little thing.

Have your Christmas wreath on your door on January 3rd? Get a letter.

I’d had problems with this association 2-3 times.

According to the HOA, the basketball hoop required a net.

The story begins when the basketball net on the goal in the driveway wears through.

The kids ripped it the rest of the way off. I’d intended to get a new one, but it had been 2 weeks, and I hadn’t gotten round to it yet.

Threatening letter. “You are violating HOA rules that clearly state your goal must have a net.”

I was impressed there was such a rule, so I looked it up. That is what it said.

However, that is ALL it said. It didn’t say a “regulation” net, “Standard” net.

Nothing. It just needed a net.

Not having more specific rules in place, he went all out with his new net.

So, I bought five nets and used zip ties to attach the top of one net to the bottom of another.

This created a long, chained net that reached the ground (the goal was lowered, kids).

So I hung it up, and there it sat.

I was in full compliance with the rules, so there was nothing they could do about it.

One neighbor asked me about it, and I explained what happened.

She didn’t seem to think it was funny, so I think she must have been the person making the occasional complaints about us.

Anyway, after a month or so, I cut all but one net off.

Never had any HOA letters after that.

Bet the HOA loved his new net.

Let’s see how the fine folks over at Reddit relate to this story.

They probably did!

Good point.

He actually did better than this.

He definitely took the W.

It’s not every day homeowners get to stick it to the HOA.

If you liked that post, check this one about a guy who got revenge on his condo by making his own Christmas light rules.