Imagine living in an HOA, and the HOA decides to put a Christmas decoration in every single person’s yard whether they like it or not. Who should be responsible for discarding the decorations after Christmas, the HOA or the residents?

That’s the big question in this story, and the person who shares it disagrees with her mom about the answer.

Keep reading to see whose side you’re on.

AITA For Refusing To Clean Up Luminaries After HOA Put Them In My Yard Without Consent?

A few Christmases back, HOA decided to decorate everyone’s yards with luminaries.

I was already very uncomfortable with having flaming candles in flammable, paper bags on my heavily wooded lawn as it was a huge fire hazard but mom insisted that they were only doing something nice for us so I let it slide and just kept an eye on them.

Eventually, the luminaries had to go.

Here’s where I may be TA: A few days had gone by, it had rained and the sopping wet candle bags were still in my yard.

We get a letter from HOA stating that the other neighbors had already cleaned up their luminaries, now it was our turn.

I contact HOA back and insist that they put the mess in my yard without my consent so they need to be the ones to clean it up.

Her mom disagreed with her.

They try to spin some bs about “being a part of the neighborhood” or whatever but I insist that if it isn’t off my lawn by tomorrow, I will dump the mess in front of their headquarters.

Mom is afraid of the HOA and cleaned up the mess herself.

To this day, she insists that I was a huge jerk for always going against authority.

But I don’t think HOA has authority over anyone unless you allow them to. AITA?

It seems like the HOA should clean up the mess since they were the ones to create it, but OP’s mom is correct that it’s sometimes not worth messing with the HOA.

Let’s see whose side Reddit is on.

This person thinks it’s up to the mom.

Another person calls OP childish.

A lot of people are on the mom and HOA’s side.

But one person is against the HOA.

The homeowner gets to decide how to handle it.

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