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Posted by JD on August 31, 1999 at 13:04:03:

In Reply to: Re: showing our apartment posted by Anna on August 31, 1999 at 12:15:33:

: : Here's the situation: Our LL/owner originally told us that we had to move out
: : b/c she was selling each apt. individually. Then she offered to let us keep the
: : lease at the same price on the condition that she (well, realtors) be allowed
: : to show the apartment. During the initial conversation, she said that the realtors
: : would have to make appointments at our convenience (there are 3 people in the
: : apartment). At this point, however, the realtors are only required to give us
: : a 24 hour notice--in person on the phone (they can't just leave a message),
: : and then they can show up. When I asked the LL how this was supposed to be "at
: : our convenience", I was told that the 24 hours gives us time to prepare for the
: : realtor to come over. Most of the realtors have the attitude that they should
: : be able to come over whenever they need to; I even had one woman tell me, "Look,
: : I have the key to your home--what's the problem? You're at work anyway..." So
: : here's my problem: It is in the new lease that realtors will be showing our apt.
: : by appointment only, with 24 hours notice. Is it unreasonable to ask my LL for
: : some sort of insurance for the contents of our apt.--given that no less than 5
: : realty firms in Brooklyn have keys to our place and a disrespectful attitude toward
: : the 24 hour appointment policy? How do we know people aren't coming over in the
: : middle of the day without an appointment? Can this be considered an invasion of
: : privacy? Are there any laws I should be aware of?

: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

: Answer assumes you are not stabilized/controlled:

: If your lease says 24-hour by appointment, then that's what you can insist on. But balance the value of the LL's good-tenants reference letters to future LL's with your rights...

: Often the 'show' clause restricts access to last 3 or 6 months of lease...

: Some suggestions from other tenants' experiences:

: If your written lease expires more than 3 months from now: let every one of those realtors know this: occupied apts are much harder to sell & many would-be buyers won't want to even see it. Buy one of those 6 or 12 months calendars, hang in obvious place, & boldly mark lease-end-date.

: Change one of your locks: read about it on TenantNet Home: you will have to give the LL a new key within 30 days, she will then give them to the realtors, but it will buy you some time to negotiate a more reasonable 'show apt' schedule.

: Leave the apt cluttered, not dirty: tell the realtors "we would have cleaned up if we had 24-hours notice"...

: PS: "selling apts individually" usually means the building is ALREADY a co-op or condo, although other forms of multi-person ownership exist. Exactly what is the status of your building? Worth a visit to the Hall of Records...

Re: the status of the building--the LL owns it outright. I don't want to have
to resort to changing the locks, because I know this will cause trouble in the
long run. The renewed lease just started (Sept. 1) and the stipulation
is that the LL can show the place in exchange for not raising our rent for
the duration of the (conceivable) next lease term (1 year). If the place sells,
we have a guaranteed 60 days to leave, plus we'll be compensated financially.
Like I mentioned before, my only real concern is that realtors respect our
privacy and the fact that people plan on living there as long as possible.

Follow Ups:

• Re: showing our apartment JJ 8/31/99 (0)

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Comments:
: : : Here's the situation:  Our LL/owner originally told us that we had to move out 
: : : b/c she was selling each apt. individually.  Then she offered to let us keep the 
: : : lease at the same price on the condition that she (well, realtors) be allowed 
: : : to show the apartment.  During the initial conversation, she said that the realtors
: : : would have to make appointments at our convenience (there are 3 people in the 
: : : apartment).  At this point, however, the realtors are only required to give us 
: : : a 24 hour notice--in person on the phone (they can't just leave a message), 
: : : and then they can show up.  When I asked the LL how this was supposed to be "at
: : : our convenience", I was told that the 24 hours gives us time to prepare for the 
: : : realtor to come over.  Most of the realtors have the attitude that they should 
: : : be able to come over whenever they need to; I even had one woman tell me, "Look, 
: : : I have the key to your home--what's the problem? You're at work anyway..."  So 
: : : here's my problem:  It is in the new lease that realtors will be showing our apt.
: : : by appointment only, with 24 hours notice.  Is it unreasonable to ask my LL for
: : : some sort of insurance for the contents of our apt.--given that no less than 5 
: : : realty firms in Brooklyn have keys to our place and a disrespectful attitude toward
: : : the 24 hour appointment policy?  How do we know people aren't coming over in the 
: : : middle of the day without an appointment?  Can this be considered an invasion of 
: : : privacy? Are there any laws I should be aware of? 

: : ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

: : Answer assumes you are not stabilized/controlled:

: : If your lease says 24-hour by appointment, then that's what you can insist on.  But balance the value of the LL's good-tenants reference letters to future LL's with your rights...

: : Often the 'show' clause restricts access to last 3 or 6 months of lease...

: : Some suggestions from other tenants' experiences:

: : If your written lease expires more than 3 months from now: let every one of those realtors know this: occupied apts are much harder to sell & many would-be buyers won't want to even see it.  Buy one of those 6 or 12 months calendars, hang in obvious place,  & boldly mark lease-end-date.

: : Change one of your locks: read about it on TenantNet Home: you will have to give the LL a new key within 30 days, she will then give them to the realtors, but it will buy you some time to negotiate a more reasonable 'show apt' schedule.

: : Leave the apt cluttered, not dirty: tell the realtors "we would have cleaned up if we had 24-hours notice"...

: : PS: "selling apts individually" usually means the building is ALREADY a co-op or condo, although other forms of multi-person ownership exist.  Exactly what is the status of your building?  Worth a visit to the Hall of Records... 


: Re: the status of the building--the LL owns it outright.  I don't want to have 
: to resort to changing the locks, because I know this will cause trouble in the 
: long run.  The renewed lease just started (Sept. 1) and the stipulation
: is that the LL can show the place in exchange for not raising our rent for
: the duration of the (conceivable) next lease term (1 year).  If the place sells,
: we have a guaranteed 60 days to leave, plus we'll be compensated financially.
: Like I mentioned before, my only real concern is that realtors respect our 
: privacy and the fact that people plan on living there as long as possible.


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