HOA denied a homeowner’s $1,200 sewage-damage claim and blamed him for the backup — then its own plumber’s report led to an $8,800 lawsuit
The author gave them several chances to fix the issue, but the HOA ignored it
When it comes to shared property, homeowners expect the HOA to pitch in and help. An individual who goes by u/TheUgliestCassanova had problems with their sewer pipe for months. They paid $1,200 out of pocket for the plumbing bills and asked for reimbursement. When it happened again, they asked the HOA to show them their plumber's report but were ignored. When they finally saw the actual report, they took the HOA to Small Claims court with an $8,800 lawsuit. The August 14, 2026, post received 8,400 upvotes and 534 comments.
HOA wouldn't reimburse a $1,200 plumbing bill, so I just served them an $8,800 lawsuit
by u/TheUgliestCasanova in fuckHOA
Sewer showdown
It all began in February when sewage backed up into the author's house. An emergency plumber came to clear it and found tree roots in the main sewer pipe. The first cleanout cost $600. They sent the receipt to the management for reimbursement, but were told it's their responsibility since the pipes were on their property. Two months later, it happened again, and the author brought in three different plumbers to inspect the issue.
"All three confirmed structural root damage in the main line right near the walkway cleanout," and the repair estimates were around $5,000 to $7,000. The author showed the HOA the reports and the video footage so they could do the needful. Instead of repairing it, they sent a plumber to hydro-jet the mainline. The author wanted to see what their plumber had to say, but they refused to share the report and video footage. The author requested to see the report for a month before they took action.
Ignored deadline
In July, the author received a formal letter from the Board that blamed an "improperly installed sewer cleanout," putting the responsibility on them instead of the HOA. When the author threatened legal action, the HOA finally let them see the report. Apparently, the HOA's plumber found the same problem. An Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) meeting was held, and the Board said it needed 10 days before proceeding further.
"Management replied to me saying they weren't legally required to give me a written resolution deadline, and basically opted to kick the can down the road further," they noted. Tired of the delay, the author sent a formal "Notice of Intent to Sue with a 7-day deadline," which they ignored, so the author went ahead and filed an $8,800 small-claims lawsuit. "Trial is set for the end of September," they concluded.
Who should fix it?
Tree-root intrusion is a major cause of sewer blockages and is strongly associated with defects, joints, cracks, and other openings in sewer pipes. A study by Georgina Miller collected from Orange City Council found that tree roots affect at least 23.8% of stormwater lines. 20% affected smaller sewer pipes that collected wastewater from houses, and 26.1% affected the larger sewer pipes that carry water from smaller sewer lines.
Furthermore, Clark Simson Miller clarified that depending on the type of community, the responsibility could either fall on the homeowner or the HOA. For single-family HOAs, the homeowner is responsible for the sewer lines. In townhome associations, the responsibility is shared, while in condo associations, the COA usually has more responsibility since the plumbing is shared.
'Rooting for you'
Readers hoped that the author would win the small claims lawsuit. u/Andreaaaaaa commented, "I spent two years fighting this exact issue with my old HOA. After that experience, I’ll never consider a condo again." u/joemc225 shared, "I'd certainly make sure the judge learns about how they hid their own plumber's report and then lied about it being your fault! I'd ask the judge to penalize them heavily for doing that."
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