FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

RENTERS

Each Brittan Heights condo is individually owned. If an owner chooses to rent it out, they select their method of advertising the rental, there is no central location or contact person for rentals of these San Carlos condominiums. The best method to find rentals is to check Craigslist and Zillow.

LANDLORDS

Want to rent your unit out? There are currently no rent restrictions at Brittan Heights. Meaning, unlike some condo complexes which limit the number of units that can be rented out to 25%; there is no limit at Brittan Heights.

AirBnB – Renting through AirBnB would violate the CC&Rs because rule 7.8 states that no owner shall be permitted to lease his unit for any period less then 30 days.

CLUB HOUSE

Call (650) 593-8530 to contact the Club House. They are typically only open a couple afternoons during the week and then open longer both Saturday and Sunday. Call them to Reserve Tennis Courts. The phone number is for private party reserved use of the clubhouse (four weeks in advance), renting the tennis ball machine, replacement of pool/tennis keys (a fee is charged), etc. Always leave your name, phone number and address if your call is answered by a machine. If you are a new owner who was not given a mailbox key, please do not call the clubhouse; the mailbox key should have been transferred to you when escrow closed on your unit.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY

The Management Company is American Management Services. Their number is 408-225-7380 or 800-720-1999. Your calls should be limited to the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday unless it is an emergency. If your call is after the regular business hours the answering service will determine if this is a genuine emergency and management will be dispatched immediately.

• HOA Website for Brittan Heights
• Purchase HOA Docs

PETS

Each owner is allowed two ordinary pets. Ordinary pets are animals like cats or dogs.

PARKING

Each unit is allowed two vehicles. Each unit is assigned a carport with a storage locker and residents may park another vehicle in any of the open spaces. All residents are reminded that any vehicle that will be parked inside the complex, whether it be in the open parking or a carport, must be registered with Management.

PLUMBING ISSUES

(408)295-7767 Aquatek Plumbing – The Association uses Aquatek to determine responsibility (individual owner or association) please contact management first. They can assist in scheduling and coordination.

SHOWER DRY-ROT DAMAGE

“Who is responsible for the dry rot found behind the shower  wall panels or tile once these components are removed?” The answer is because the area behind these components is part of the common area, it is the association’s responsibility to repair by a vendor of the Associations choice. However, if the dry-rot resulted from the homeowner’s failure to maintain their plumbing, shower wall or tile, the cost for the repairs would be assessed back to the owner.

BARBECUES

Residents are reminded that the State of California has special regulations regarding what kind of barbecues can be used in condominium Complexes such as Brittan Heights. Charcoal burners and other open-flame cooking devices, and cooking devices that require a propane fuel container, whose size is greater than 1 pound may not be stored in the patio or balcony area.

ATTIC SPACES

The attic spaces above a 3rd floor unit or above the one-story townhouses are restricted common areas. Owners may store objects that are not dangerous, however, they require prior approval of the Board of Directors. The requirement is that all attic walls with adjoining units must be sheet rocked to be  fire proofed and owners must carry liability insurance for the attic space.

HARD FLOORING

Installation of hard flooring surfaces such as hardwood, stone or ceramic tile in the bedrooms and bedroom hallways of each unit is prohibited. Where such installations are found in a bedroom (excluding a master bath) or bedroom hallway, the Board may order the installation removed, covered with carpet and pad, or abated in some other fashion.

Where hard flooring surfaces are installed in the dining or living rooms of a unit, and the occupants of an adjacent unit, complain of excessive impact noise (e.g., footsteps, sliding chairs, etc.) from the hard flooring installation, the owner of the unit and/or its occupants shall take whatever steps are necessary to abate the excessive noise. If the owner and/or occupant fail to do so, the owner of the adjacent unit may file a complaint with the Board.

Even where the Architectural Committee approves the addition of hardwood floors, if neighbors complain about noise, ultimately an owner could be asked to remove them; although as of this writing in 2013, the Board has never requested an owner to do so.

DOUBLE PANE WINDOWS

These exterior changes require approval from the architectural committee. However, typically double paned windows that are cosmetically similar (bronze) to the existing windows are approved.

I’ve heard good things from residents about the following windows and installers:

• Brothers Home Improvement (800) 672-3777
• The Alexander Company (650) 373-3900
• Bay Area window pros (Burlingame)
• Simonton day light max windows
• Anlin Catalina Windows

SCREENS for WINDOWS and DOORS

Need to replace a window or door screen?
Then call Martin Screen Shop at 650-591-7010

OPENING KITCHEN WALLS

Units in the complex regularly remove a portion of the wall between the kitchen and dining room to create a more open layout. These changes require approval from the architectural committee and board. Usually as long as none of the load bearing support is compromised, these projects are typically approved.

POPCORN CEILINGS – ASBESTOS???

Do the popcorn ceilings in some of the Brittan Heights units have asbestos? Yes! They must be removed by professional abatement services. Do not try doing this yourself! You do need approval from the Architectural Committee.

HOMEOWNERS RESPONSIBILITIES

• Chimney Maintenance:If you are planning to use your fireplace throughout this winter season, please make sure that you have a licensed chimney company clean it to avoid accidents, such as a fire.

• Plumbing Maintenance Some components that homeowners should make sure are working properly are, the angle stops, which are located behind the toilet, underneath sinks and behind the laundry machines. Owners should consider replacing any rubber hoses that service your washer, dishwasher, or refrigerator with stainless steel.

• Regular Insurance Having the proper insurance can save homeowners from having out of pocket expenses when unforeseen losses happen, for example:Tub, toilet or sink overflow
  Aquarium leaks
  Refrigerator water line leaks
  Kitchen fires
  Please remember that all homeowners may be responsible for the $10,000, which is the current deductible for  the Association’s insurance policy.
  • Aquarium leaks
  • Refrigerator water line leaks
  • Kitchen fires
  • Please remember that all homeowners may be responsible for the $10,000, which is the current deductible for  the Association’s insurance policy.

• Earthquake Insurance – If the community was to be severally affected by an earthquake, the Association’s insurance would only cover the structure of the  building, e.g. the walls, roof,  bridges. Essentially the building  would be rebuilt to the original layout. This means that if you  have upgraded the quality of your carpet, installed hardwood flooring, or installed new granite countertops, etc., these items would not be covered under the Association policy. It is for this reason that homeowners are encouraged to spend that extra dollar amount to have earthquake and contents coverage under their own policy.

ARCHITECTURAL BOARD APPROVAL

For years an owner could try to sneak in some hardwood flooring or other alteration without the HOA finding about it. Then somewhere around 2010 (plus or minus a couple years) when you went to sell your home, the HOA would do an inspection inside.  If the HOA discovered noncompliant or unapproved modifications, then to the best of my knowledge, while the HOA would not halt the sale of the property, it would require that the buyer be notified that the Board could require the buyer to make corrections at the buyer’s own expense. This often introduced some uncertainty and delays into a sale since the buyer often wanted the problem corrected or the HOA to rule on whether it would require corrections. As of October 2016 the HOA sale inspection seems to no longer be required, however it could return.

Play it safe, get approval on modifications to your home.

QUIET HOURS

“Quite hours” are: Sunday-Thursday 11:00p.m. to 7:00a.m. and Friday-Saturday from 12:00a.m. to 8:00a.m. and all occupants must follow this rule. During these hours there should be:

•  No loud music/television
•  No running/jumping
•  No hammering or drilling
•  No loud conversations when entering/exiting the building
•  No moving of furniture or heavy objects.
•  No use of vacuums, washing machines, dryers or any appliance that will create excessive noise.
•  No playing of musical instruments.

IS BRITTAN HEIGHTS FHA APPROVED?

The Federal Housing Administration  put in effect on November 1, 2009 a new requirement that all HOAs must be at least 60 percent funded in their Reserves in order to meet all the requirements under this program. As of 2009, Brittan Heights was only 39 percent funded, so it does not meet the FHA requirements. This will not only affect prospective buyers, but will also affect FHA refinance and reverse mortgage actions.

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