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RS Apartment repairs

NYC Rent Regulation: Rent Control/Rent Stabilized, DHCR Practice/Procedures

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RS Apartment repairs

Postby rarablue » Wed Feb 08, 2023 4:21 pm

Hi all,

I have lived in the same RS unit for over 30 years and in late 2019 put in a number of 311/HPD complaints for needed repairs to my cracked and damaged walls among other things. An inspector came in 2020 and verified the issues and submitted violations (A/B/C) with deadlines to remediate ranging from 30 days to one years. I hadn’t heard anything from LL and thought it was a lost cause.

Fast forward to last week, I receive an email from my management company saying they want to make repairs to my apartment starting this week. I say great, confirm the day, move my furniture, and wait. The day before the confirmed date they come and ask to start. I say sure and allow them to begin work. They work over two days while I monitor and on the third day nobody shows up and I hear nothing, the work is not complete. I reach out and am told they’ll be back next week to continue and that I can’t move my furniture back until then.


This is all just for one room, they still need to do the same for an additional 3 areas. At this rate it will take over a month. Did I mention that my moved furniture makes it impossible to access my appliances for cooking and such? I work from home and have had them disconnect me from work meetings multiple times while working around my coaxial line. I just found a banana peel on my fire escape that could only have been left there by one of the workers. Who does that?

While I’m happy the apartment is getting needed repairs after well over 30 years, it’s really becoming quite a hassle and prohibiting me from functioning in any semblance of a normal way, especially because they leave their equipment in my apartment.


Do I have any sort of recourse here? Any information is greatly appreciate. Thank you very much!
rarablue
 
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Re: RS Apartment repairs

Postby TenantNet » Wed Feb 08, 2023 5:45 pm

Slippery people (banana joke, sorry). A quick reply, look in the forum's reference section (3 pages) for posts on LL access. There should be tips on how to handle situations like this.
http://tenant.net/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=15

If it were me, I would put my stuff back where it belongs, then demand a specific date and time for them to show and have then confirm it in writing at least 72 hours before hand. If they are late (within reason and allow for reasonable excuses), tell them to make a new appointment, again, in writing.

Have them confirm - in writing - what rooms/areas to which they need access and describe specifically what work they will do, and - this is important - have them assure they will return all items where they belong and they will do any restoration work, i.e., painting, etc. I will not let anyone in unless they commit to repairing walls, floors etc. You have a right to a complete job. And be aware they might say the restoration work must be done by another repair person. Be careful, but reasonable with that. I always insist that any paint/plaster, etc. work get done within 24 hours of the underlying job's completion.

Don't take it out on the workers, it's not their fault, but hold fast with the LL. Yes, the LL will freak as he expects you to be a good an quiet tenant. But you need to train the LL.

Check the HPD list of violations and see what's there. If they screw up, commence a HP Action in Housing Court.
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Re: RS Apartment repairs

Postby dimitri » Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:28 am

because I am also wondering how the banana got there, do you think it would have been possible for the banana to have fallen from above by slipping through the cracks? in other words, where was the banana when you found it? on the floor of the fire escape or on its railing?
dimitri
 
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Re: RS Apartment repairs

Postby TenantNet » Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:42 am

Don't they have cap letters on a cel phone? Or just don't want to bother to tell us when new sentences start?
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