Need some advice regarding neighborhood tennis court

[TxJasmine]

Our neighborhood has 2 tennis courts. We just bought our kids some tennis rackets, and they really wanted to play this weekend. I promised it to them after all their homework was finished, so we went out yesterday (Labor Day) at 5p to the courts. They were empty, but a few minutes later a woman who had signed up for both courts showed up and kicked us out.

Here's my problem - this woman teaches group lessons multiple times a week and uses both courts for hours at a time. She signs up a week in advance for all the prime evening times. According to the posted rules you can only sign up on day of play and for no more than 1.5 hours at a time.

She has been doing this for years and some people have tried to complain, but didn't have any facts to back them up. She makes money off her lessons and doesn't pay the association a dime. Yet, she probably uses the courts 85% of the time.

I don't think what she's doing is right, and I'm going to try to fight her. I'm getting information from nearby neighborhoods to see what their tennis rules are and then present the facts to the board. I see this whole issue as two problems - one - she doesn't pay the board even though she is using the neighborhood property for her own personal income, and two- the main reason - I think when there are only 2 courts, then those should be for residents' use to play tennis when they want - not for lessons.

Sorry this got so long, but does anyone have any suggestions for how to fight this, or how your neighborhoods work? Does anyone live in a neighborhood with only 2 courts and what are your rules?

 

[Jennasis]

Document document document. I assume this lady lives in the neighborhood? Why don't you just confront her directly about her hogging of the time? If she gives you a hard time, inform her that you will be taking the matter to the board.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

The next time she shows up and "kicks" you off the court, I would refuse to leave. If she takes it to someone in charge, I'd take the information you have about her to that someone in charge as well.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Go to the board right away with your complaint. Also get your HOA rules and read them regarding your neighborhood with the tennis courts.

Gathering info from other neighborhoods is not useful here. You will need to follow your neighborhood by-laws.

Plus if you have not been to the board yet, you may not know if she does have an arrangement with them.

Our old neighborhood had a tennis team and did lessons. This neighborhood has 1 "tennis/basketball court" which is just free play at the moment. I would have to look up the rules. They just put it in.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

Go to the board right away with your complaint. Also get your HOA rules and read them regarding your neighborhood with the tennis courts.

Gathering info from other neighborhoods is not useful here. You will need to follow your neighborhood by-laws.

Plus if you have not been to the board yet, you may not know if she does have an arrangement first.

Our old neighborhood had a tennis team and did lessons. This neighborhood has 1 "tennis/basketball court" which is just free play at the moment. I would have to look up the rules. They just put it in.

That's true...she could have a prior arrangement. I didn't think of that...I would talk to the HOA before I went again and if she doesn't have an arrangement THEN I would stand my ground next time she tries to "kick" you off the court.

 

[ICF]

The next time she shows up and "kicks" you off the court, I would refuse to leave.

Exactly what I would do as well....what would she do, call the police or something?

At worst she'll take it the board or HOA and then the whole situation can come to light and be discussed of how she has used the courts.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Exactly what I would do as well....what would she do, call the police or something?

At worst she'll take it the board or HOA and then the whole situation can come to light and be discussed of how she has used the courts.

As a former HOA trustee this would be how you not handle it. I don't mean to rain on your advice, however going to the board first is the way to go.

Hopefully this way they will contact her with the situation and clear it up and you can avoid duking it out on the tennis courts.

I would put my best foot forward first.

 

[brerrabbit]

Believe it or not this kind of issue was the very reason I gave up playing tennis a long time ago. Every time I showed up to play I would have someone show up and tell me they had the court reserved. I don't care if it was a neighborhood court, a city park, or a county park someone would always start quoting me rules and regulations about court use. The only place we found to play that we could be assured we would not be told to leave was one city park that had the rules of use posted and in bold letters said, COURTS CANNOT BE RESERVED. You were limited to 1 1/2 hours if people were waiting and could only use as many courts as you had people. I would establish what the rules are with your HOA and get a written copy of the rules. The next time she shows up to kick you off I would discuss the rules with her and show her your copy.

That's also one of the reasons I like golf a lot more. I pay my greends fees and I play, no rules about being kicked off because I have the same rights as everyone else. No hidden rules or complecated reservations systems.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I would speak to your association about this.

The fair thing to do outside of any compensation is that she can teach on ONE court, not both. She seems to be monopolizing the courts and residents who might work during the day or go to school during the day are not having fair access to the courts.

Prior arrangements or not, this is something that the neighborhood should be privvy to and not kept secret.

 

[allison443]

Where does the sign-up for the courts take place? Is the sign-up sheet kept by the association? If so, wouldn't they be well aware that she is reserving both courts 85% of the time? Yet they allow that? You said that she signs up a week in advance, but the rules say you can only sign up on the day of play. So how is she allowed to sign up a week in advance?
Does she have an arrangement with the HOA?

The other thing would be, if the people she is giving lessons to are members of the association, maybe the court time is reserved in the student's name, rather than this woman's name. So she would be able to get around the 1 1/2 hour time limit per person.

It does sound frustrating and hopefully you can get some clarification of the rules.

 

[amid chaos]

Here are the questions i would be asking the board.

Is the tennis teacher a member of the neighborhood?
Are the students ALL members of the neighborhood?
Is she compensating the association for the use of the courts?
Is her ability to sign up for courts outside the rules the other members of the neighborhood follow?

 

[TxJasmine]

Thanks for all the replies! I did state something wrong - so far for M/T/W she's signed up for 12.5 hours. So she doesn't use the court 85% of the week, but out of all the people using the courts, she is by far the main user.

She does live in the neighborhood, but many of her students don't. I also know that the HOA rules are vague as to the tennis courts. She's kind of made the rules over the years. She doesn't have an agreement with the board (my DH is on the board) -she's just told the board how it is and no one has complained - at least not strongly.

I just think that a neighborhood with only 2 courts should have them available for residents to play for fun.

I won't fight with the woman on the courts, but I will try to build a case for the HOA. At the very least keep her restricted to one court.

I totally agree with brerrabbit - I don't want to have to plan in advance when to take my kids out to the courts. It's for fun. I don't mind competing for a court with other residents who are also playing for fun, but I don't like competing with someone who thinks she owns the place!

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

Heres how I see it.

This woman is making some extra pocket money doing this. She is using the courts 3 days a week, 12.5 hours a week. That means you have MANY MANY other days and hours that you can use the courts. So because 3 days a week you can't get on the courts at the exact time you want, your going to go and complain.... doesn't seem fair to me. OK, maybe shes signing up more in advance than she should, but she has lessons to give, she has to make sure she has the courts. My only issue with it is if shes the only "pro" on the court, how is she even using two courts at once? Thats what I would complain about.
But as I said, its only 3 out of 7 days a week, you have plenty of other times to go. You said "I don't want to have to plan in advance when to take my kids out to the courts." Why not?? I grew up playing on indoor courts, were we had to pay something like $40-$50 for one hour, and we had to make plans in advance for them. When playing outside, we had to go to the city, pay something like $2.50 to reserve the court for the hour. If we had done that, and someone else was on the court and hadn't reserved it, we would kick them off - it was our court. Personally, I just don't see the point of making a issue over this if - just get there and make your court time a week in advance as this woman does.

 

[HM]

I think she is taking advantage of the neighborhood courts. She should not be allowed to use them for lessons for individuals not in the neighborhood. Those students should be taught at a court at a local park or school. For those students who live in the neighborhood, she should be able to teach them, but should be varying the hours so that she is not taking any hours that might be 'prime' all the time. Even then, she's taking advantage of the fact you have courts in your nieghborhood, esp when there are only two.

If your courts are sign-up day of....then that should be followed by everyone. Your HOA should make this announcement in their next newsletter....reminding of that rule. That way, everyone has a fair chance to sign up. And you or other neighbors can plan ahead for that particular day and sign up in the morning to use in that afternoon.

Good luck. I hope you find a nice way to work this out so everyone wins.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Thanks for all the replies! I did state something wrong - so far for M/T/W she's signed up for 12.5 hours. So she doesn't use the court 85% of the week, but out of all the people using the courts, she is by far the main user.

She does live in the neighborhood, but many of her students don't. I also know that the HOA rules are vague as to the tennis courts. She's kind of made the rules over the years. She doesn't have an agreement with the board (my DH is on the board) -she's just told the board how it is and no one has complained - at least not strongly.

I just think that a neighborhood with only 2 courts should have them available for residents to play for fun.

I won't fight with the woman on the courts, but I will try to build a case for the HOA. At the very least keep her restricted to one court.

I totally agree with brerrabbit - I don't want to have to plan in advance when to take my kids out to the courts. It's for fun. I don't mind competing for a court with other residents who are also playing for fun, but I don't like competing with someone who thinks she owns the place!

If your DH is on the board, then he knows the by-laws. It is up to the board members to enforce them. There is no need to "build a case".
You need to file a complaint and your board needs to address the situation, period, with this person.

What you want or think is not relevant when you have by-laws.

 

[jrmasm]

Is this woman being paid to teach lessons? Is she paying the HOA for the use of the court?

 

[sbell111]

I think that you should just give whatever documentation that you have to your husband and let him deal with it.

 

[m&m's mom]

I am very surprised that your HOA did not shut that down right when they realized it was happening.
Our HOA found out that a resident was giving swimming lessons in the neighborhood pool and they shut it down immediately due to insurance concerns. You cannot have a place of business being operated on community property.
Our tennis courts are hardly ever used.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am very surprised that your HOA did not shut that down right when they realized it was happening.
Our HOA found out that a resident was giving swimming lessons in the neighborhood pool and they shut it down immediately due to insurance concerns. You cannot have a place of business being operated on community property.
Our tennis courts are hardly ever used.

Right.

The HOA has a responsibilty to the neighborhood and if someone is running a business without approval, the neighborhood will be held liable for accidents, injuries, etc...

Imagine your neighborhood getting sued over an injury and it is not covered, not cool.

 

[golfgal]

I am very surprised that your HOA did not shut that down right when they realized it was happening.
Our HOA found out that a resident was giving swimming lessons in the neighborhood pool and they shut it down immediately due to insurance concerns. You cannot have a place of business being operated on community property.
Our tennis courts are hardly ever used.

I agree-the liability she is putting on the HOA is HUGE by doing this. Because she isn't renting the court the HOA would be responsible for any injury or lawsuit. Then if she does rent the court, your HOA insurance might drop you because you are then running a business and not a HOA. Then, factor in all the extra traffic from kids outside of the neighborhood and you have other issues. I would file a complaint. The HOA needs to stop this before you ALL lose your homes because of a bad lawsuit.