Overstepping
So, when I was a kid my mom moved to a townhouse complex, which had a Strata Council, which was basically an HOA. I often keep late hours, so I like to keep my windows blacked out so I can sleep in. So, I tinfoiled my windows, which were recessed basement windows.
You could not see these windows without being on our property. She got a notice to remove them, because no window coverings are allowed unless they are white or beige. She passes this along to me.
So, I take the tinfoil down, put white paper over the windows, and then tinfoil behind that. And to further improve things, I then add a layer of black construction paper. No light is getting through, and it’s all white from the outside, which is allowed.
They then drop off a note asking what time they can come by to inspect to make sure there’s no tin foil on the inside of the window.
My mom and I had a good laugh over this, and ignored the letter. They sent a follow-up, more demanding, angrier letter.
We ignored that too. Eventually they sent one threatening fines, and my mom sent one back that lied and said they had already inspected, and they needed to figure things out.
And then she got an apology and no further hassling on this issue, because the Strata Council was full of busybodies who hated each other, and no one wanted to admit that they were out of the loop.