A dozen condos in one Fairfax County, Virginia, community have gone without hot water for almost three months, and homeowners association fees haven’t let up.
The Lake Anne of Reston condos have signs hanging from balconies counting the days since residents have been without hot water.
“We wash like people used to wash back in the 1800s,” said one resident without hot water, George Hadjikyriakou. “That’s what we’ve been doing for the last two-and-a-half months.”
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Bearing through the winter without hot water has been especially challenging for residents. One resident, Matt Stevison, has been using a camping shower he bought from Amazon.
“I believe my condo fee right now is about $1,167 a month,” Stevison said.
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The issue is affecting 12 condos and eight commercial spaces. The association board put in a new water heater, but the issue lies in the old pipes leading to the units, according to board member Senzel Shaefer.
Another board member said the short-term fix comes next week: a more powerful water heater that should pump enough water to make up for the leaky pipes. The board member said that the association is working with engineers toward a permanent fix.
He said that several owners have received several demands for condo fees, and that the board will discuss that once hot water is back.
