HOAs can have crazy rules that are really picky, but all of these rules should be included in the HOA bylaws that homeowners would receive when they buy their property.

What would you do if you lived in an HOA but it seemed like the HOA board was making up rules and only making you follow them? That’s what the family in this story is dealing with.

They own a condo, and they installed new flooring. Now, the HOA is telling them that they have to redo the flooring because they’re required to install carpet.

The bylaws don’t say anything about only installing carpet, and they know for a fact that a lot of their neighbors don’t have carpet.

They’re really frustrated and not sure how to get the HOA to leave them alone. Keep reading for all the details.

Selective enforcement from HOA – should I sue them?

My HOA condo has been discriminating against us for years.

My partner used to be on the board but eventually quit because of the time commitment and having to deal with so many neighbor disputes and constant issues.

The big problem they’re having started when they redid their flooring.

When we bought our unit, our condo HOA rules did not state that we had to have carpets. It isn’t written anywhere. The unit had floors.

We changed out the floors to new ones as they were not leveled and had water damage. Then the HOA told us we had to change them to carpet.

It’s been a few years and now they’re saying we have 90 days to change them to carpet.

Most of the units in our condo building have floors – can they enforce a carpet rule on us and not others?

They can’t fulfill the HOA’s request.

Our HOA keeps asking us to show copies of our permit for changing the floors because our neighbor complained that we have unpermitted work in our unit.

We checked with the management company, and the building department, whom all say that this kind of flooring change is superficial like new cabinets and is exempt from permitting. They will not issue a permit.

The HOA still keeps claiming we have not shown them a copy of our permit.

What do we show them?

They’re younger than the other residents.

There has been a pattern of discrimination against us as we are a young family and one of the only owners with children in the building.

Our neighbors are mostly baby boomers or Gen X, and they are single/don’t have kids/empty nesters.

We are the newest owners in the building (Millenials) and we feel since they all have decades of living together and friendships already formed, the board members keep siding with each other.

They’re not sure how to get the HOA to leave them alone.

Can we sue them? Is it worth the effort? What would we get out of it? My only objective is for them to stop bullying us and leave us alone. The board has no money to go to court. Our HOA is underfunded.

Has anyone successfully sued their HOA for harassment and selective enforcement? Is the threat of suing enough for them to stop?

How can I continue to go about living here with their constant harassment about installing carpets (not a rule that applies to others, even on top floor units) and asking for us to obtain a permit that the building department will not issue?

It all seems ridiculous and the rules are made up.

If the HOA rules don’t state that you have to have carpet, you don’t have to have carpet.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about some renters who moved out and left their apartment in the same state of disarray they’d found it in when they moved in.

Let’s see what advice Reddit has to offer.

One person suggests ignoring the HOA.

Another person has a question and a suggestion.

Here’s some more advice.

This could be why they’re complaining. I could imagine little kids might be loud.

Would it be good enough if they added a few area rugs to muffle the noise? The HOA can’t enforce a made up rule. A scary looking letter sent from a lawyer might be enough to make them back off.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a homeowner who responded to an HOA violation letter by investigating the bylaws and having the whole board removed.