(X) ‘This is why you don’t buy houses that have flower’ homeowners say after retired couple are sued for $100k over flower bed

A PETTY dispute has seen a retired couple make a definitive move to bring it to an end after their HOA threatened to sue for $100,000.

Klaas and Dorothy Tadema from Texas City, Texas moved to their home in the Lago Mar neighborhood after Hurricane Harvey flooded their property in Dickinson.

Dorothy and Klaas Tadema faced a lawsuit of up to $100,000 by their HOA over a flower bedCredit: KHOU 11 News

Dorothy, a former nurse, enjoys gardening as a stress reliever and a way to make her home look ‘pretty’Credit: KHOU 11 News

The HOA filed a lawsuit seeking damages, legal fees, and non-monetary relief over the couple’s well-kept flower beds as they violated neighborhood covenantsCredit: KHOU 11 News

In November 2018, the proud homeowners installed flower beds onto their property but by March of the following year, the HOA informed the couple that they were against neighborhood guidelines.

“I like pretty flowers. I like my yard pretty,” Dorothy, a former nurse, told KHOU 11.

‘UNJUST’

Her husband added that the HOA dealt with them “unjustly” after the HOA filed a lawsuit against the couple seeking up to $100,000.

After being informed that the flowerbeds were against HOA covenants, the Tademas filed a $25 application to have them approved by the board, but this was rejected.

We have to do what they want or else.

Dorothy TademaHomeowner

A letter arrived in September 2019 informing the couple of the lawsuit claiming money for damages and daily fees for violations.

According to the HOA, it had informed the couple numerous times via mail about the flower bed violations but they refused to engage by removing them or saying they would fix the issue.

Under the lawsuit, the HOA demanded $200 per day for the violations of the flower beds along with at least $3,000 in damages.

This “represents damages for only 15 days despite the fact the Defendants’ violations have been or were ongoing for a period of more than 15 days,” the suit seen by KHOU claimed.

It added that the HOA sought “$100,000 or less” as well as non-monetary relief and attorney’s fees.

“We’re being dealt with let us say unjustly if you will let me make an understatement,” Klaas said.

“It’s a shame that you have to remove something I would think would enhance the neighborhood,” Dorothy added.

‘NO FREEDOM’

According to Galveston County Daily News, the lawsuit against the couple remained active even after they removed the flowers that were not on the approved list of plants.

The HOA also has issues with the structure of the flower beds themselves, not just the flowers in them.

“I feel like we have no freedom here. We have to do what they want or else,” Dorothy told KHOU.

“That’s not the way I wanna live my retirement.”

“I had no idea I had no control over my yard. We paid for this home.”

The couple’s daughter Taanya McNeil told Galv News that he parents were looking for a peaceful area to enjoy their retirement.

“My mother is a green thumb. My dad set aside some money for her to plant flowers at their new house,” McNeil said.

“He even hired a professional landscaper.”

“If flower beds were really the issue I would say this is a great big laugh but it’s pretty clear that the flower beds are not the issue,” Klaas told Chopper Rose Productions.

“These people are simply after one thing and that is money.”

“This lawsuit is emotional, something we don’t need in our lives. This is not retirement for me,” his wife added.

An update provided by the news outlet claims that the lawsuit was eventually dropped by the HOA.

However, after a lien was allegedly filed on their home by the HOA the Tademas had had enough and sold their house and moved out of the neighborhood.

The U.S. Sun has contacted the HOA for comment.

Fellow homeowners raged about HOA communities after hearing what happened to the couple.

“This is why you don’t buy houses that have HOA,” one wrote in a comment on Facebook.

“This is what people get for giving HOA so much power,” another added.

“I be darned if someone will tell me what I can/cannot do on my property.”

The U.S. Sun previously reported on the story of a HOA that threatened a couple with fees of $200 per day for their daycare work.

Dorothy revealed that she felt like there was no freedom in the HOA communityCredit: KHOU 11 News

Former math teacher Klaas claimed that the HOA was only out for moneyCredit: KHOU 11 News