To the Editor:
I would like to suggest a partial solution to the problem with the anonymous complaint system and to the objections to the troll problem.
When we purchased our homes, we signed several documents including a warranty deed to prove ownership, a proof of insurance, possibly a mortgage note and an agreement to comply with the deed restrictions.
When we sell the home, the title company checks to make sure we had clear title to the property. There is also a check to make sure there are no tax liens and no construction liens on the property.
We also have to pay for an inspection of the property by a licensed home inspector to make sure there aren’t any defects. Before your home can be sold, you are expected to have the defects repaired.
My suggestion is when we sell our home a required inspection of the property is made by someone with the Architectural Review Committee. The homeowner would have to pay to cover the cost of the inspection. If there is anything out of compliance with the ARC, it would have to be corrected or have a retroactive approval of the ARC before the sale could go through.
This would guarantee that all changes and updates to the property have been approved by the Architectural Review Committee before a person buys a home. There would be no surprises for the new owner, and I think it may cut down on people willing to skirt the rules and hoping they do not get caught. This would leave the trolls to handle the gnomes and reduce the complaints.
Phil Raimer
Village of DeSoto