Do your HOA Insurance clients ever come to you asking about the proper protocol they should follow regarding holiday and wintertime decorations in their communities? Although many homeowners’ associations may already have rules on the books regarding other types of exterior home decorations, the precise guidelines regarding HOA rules for holiday decorations may not always be as clear-cut. Questions and concerns about HOA’s & holiday decor are relatively common, and you may be able to help your clients set straightforward boundaries and easy-to-follow rules by sitting down with them and giving them some key advice. The next time your HOA clients have concerns about navigating their homeowners’ decorations during the holiday season, work through this guide to help them set boundaries and enforce the rules.
Conduct Homeowners’ Meetings To Determine a Set of Realistic Rules
One way your clients can set realistic decorating rules without upsetting their residents is to conduct joint meetings with the community to brainstorm possible guidelines. Your clients may wish to:
- Conduct a survey among all homeowners and board members
- Hold a community meeting to debate and discuss potential issues
- Write out a set of realistic rules that the community members can agree to follow
Consider the Potential Decoration-Related Problems You May Need To Regulate
While your clients are devising their community home décor guidelines, it’s important for them to consider all the potential problems that could arise. For example, they may want to institute rules to prevent the risk of:
- Excessive noise from loud holiday music
- An excess of colors or decorations that may impact the overall appearance and cohesion of the neighborhood
- Flashing lights that could provoke health issues among some residents
- Oversized decorations that may take up too much space
Implement Straightforward Ways To Ensure Homeowner Compliance
One of the biggest challenges your clients may face when devising decoration guidelines is finding effective ways to ensure compliance. That’s why it’s best to keep these solutions simple. For example, you can advise your clients to:
- Write up the holiday decoration rules and guidelines in a clear-cut and straightforward manner, and then distribute those guidelines to all residents via email or by mail
- Encourage residents to contact the HOA board directly if they have any questions or concerns about the guidelines
- Ask homeowners to report residents that are blatantly flouting the guidelines or demonstrate other compliance issues
- Schedule an exterior home inspection for all homeowners in the community to help ensure compliance
If your HOA Insurance clients have brought up concerns regarding neighborhood holiday decoration guidelines in recent meetings, this guide could help them devise realistic rules and strategies for enforcement. Although it may seem complicated to regulate HOA community decorations, these tips could help your clients set firm and appropriate rules. With these tips, your clients can keep their neighborhoods safe while giving their residents plenty of space for holiday decorating.
About Kevin Davis Insurance Services
For over 35 years, Kevin Davis Insurance Services has built an impressive reputation as a strong wholesale broker offering insurance products for the community association industry. Our president Kevin Davis and his team take pride in offering committed services to the community association market and providing them with unparalleled access to high-quality coverage, competitive premiums, superior markets, and detailed customer service. To learn more about the coverage we offer, contact us toll-free at (855)-790-7393 to speak with one of our representatives.