Texas Homeowners Fined for Noisy Toddler

Condo dwelling parents Peter and Abbey Ure are getting pressure from their Texas homeowners association to keep their toddler in check or pay the price. In a letter dated January 2011, the couple received a warning from the HOA, along with suggestions on how to keep their toddler from disturbing other residents. The letter was prompted by a complaint filed by the lower level neighbor who said he could hear Abbey Ure chasing her toddler around and bouncing balls on the floor. The couple was reportedly threatened by the Woodlands II HOA with threats of potential fines, should the noise and complaints continue. The HOA stated in their letter that Mr. and Mrs. Ure could play with their child on the upstairs on their condo, but not on the first floor.

And fined they were. According to My Fox Phoenix, the couple was fined upwards of $1600 in February 2011, when they met with the HOA to determine a resolution. The HOA claims that they processed 33 official complaints against the noisy tot and his parents. My Fox reports that the fines were later reduced to $250 but the couple is now having to pay out money for legal counsel while they dispute the fines. Peter Ure, the father, told My Fox that he’s doing everything possible to mitigate the sound and he doesn’t know what else to do. The couple says they’ve tried speaking to their neighbor who filed the complaint, but he refuses to speak to them. They say they’ve even gone as far as putting a mattress on the floor and putting rugs down. The HOA is implying that the condo units were built as an “adult community” and that the condo residences aren’t conducive to children.