January 23, 2023
It’s common for landlords to break up ties with their property management.
Here are five explanations of why this occurs:
Communication Breakdown: The property manager does not reply to calls, texts, or email messages from the landlord. The landlord could become upset by this as they feel ignored by the manager. One business day is the standard response time for correspondence and landlord questions for many managers
Poor Property Maintenance: One of the property manager’s duties is to make sure that rental property is maintained. If the property is deteriorating and the management has not advised the landlord of the need for repairs, there is a severe concern. It is usually advisable to avoid delaying or ignoring maintenance because it can be rather expensive.
Vacancies: Management needs to rent out the area as soon as a tenant vacates. A thorough marketing and tenant-finding approach will minimize the landlord’s income loss. Long periods of time without a renter and repeated evictions are incredibly expensive situations that make any landlord unhappy.
Accounting Errors and Inaccurate Statements: If your statement contains errors often, there may be underlying issues. Statements must be straightforward, and any modifications must be simply explained and backed up by supporting documentation. Landlords are at the very least entitled to timely and accurate information. Losing faith in any management may result from not receiving those.
Unauthorized Spending: The property management agreement should include a maintenance restriction that requires the landlord’s consent if an expense exceeds a specific level. The connection may suffer if managers fail to obtain the owner’s permission.
When a collaboration with a property management company fails for whatever reason, it is challenging to regain that confidence and faith in them.
Please get in touch if you have any inquiries about property management.
January 18, 2023
Excessive noise complaints in co-ops often require boards to enforce house rules and protect residents. Your board may be within its powers to fine or take action against tenants for excessive noise, depending on the house rules in your building—and the proprietary lease if it’s a co-op.
Residents frequently complain about loud late-night parties or unnecessarily loud music.
Noise in an apartment building—and smells for that matter—can be very subjective and it may be difficult to determine the source. However, if there are persistent violations, the board should look into the matter and take action as failure to do so could result in legal repercussions.
Most individuals don’t want to go to court, therefore once renters are aware of the repercussions of upsetting other tenants. People are frequently driven to go by the rules.
The house rules for the building should ideally include specific instructions on what conduct or loud behavior is prohibited and whether a fine may be assessed.
In a co-op, you should review the clauses in the bylaws and the proprietary lease.
Usually, the bylaws specify whether the board has the power to impose fines. Since a co-op is also subject to the warranty of habitability, which stipulates that the flats must be secure and livable for all tenants, excessive noise may give rise to legal action if it renders the units uninhabitable.
However, the house rules could be silent on this, in which case the board may want to supplement them.
There will be no ambiguity for unit owners because the issue will be made clear.
It is very likely that the bylaws authorize the board to fine residents for violations of the house rules.
House regulations sometimes stipulate that remodeling work can only happen during specific times of the weekdays. This is in an effort to prevent excessive noise. They could also specify when it is OK to play loud music in the evening. There can also be regulations governing soundproofing.
For instance, to reduce noise transfer, home rules often allow for 80% carpeting on the floors.
If such is the case, a board may check apartments to make sure they are following this guideline.
There are still plenty of possibilities for disputes about loudness and other annoyances, such as the smell of smoke or marijuana, despite the fact that many New Yorkers work from home or have hybrid schedules.
A board or the administration will wish to write a warning letter to the resident generating noise or smells, assuming there are provisions in the house rules addressing fines for infractions. This records the violation and creates a paper trail, which may be important if the complaints lead to legal action.
It might be challenging to prove that noise is inappropriate. Residents may occasionally merely use their phones to record a video of the noise and its source. They may occasionally employ specialized tests.
Keep in mind that the fines your board should issue for noise breaches shouldn’t be too onerous when determining their magnitude.
Courts are hesitant to impose sanctions in cases where the board is merely extorting money from owners or shareholders, warns Woods.
However, your board is entitled to some administrative expenses.
Depending on how serious the case is, the initial fine for a noise violation may often vary from $150 to $200. This would pay for the costs of dealing with the problems and notifying the affected residents in writing on behalf of the building management. Additionally, it would discourage this type of conduct.
If the resident shows a willingness to change their behavior, your board may decide to waive the initial sentence. However, it will be clear that the cost will double if the noise violation occurs again.
If you select this course of action and the issue is not dealt with, you might have to appear in court to obtain a court order. This is to protect the interests of the other shareholders or apartment owners.
Repeated offenses in some circumstances can potentially result in a proprietary lease default.
January 16, 2023
When a co-op board learns that a hoarder is residing in the building, what should it do—and not do? Take these actions:
Send a Notice:
The first step in resolving the problem is to contact the shareholder and send a notice. This can point out that there have been complaints of odors and infestations. As well as demanding they take immediate steps to correct the problem.
Obtain Entry:
The co-op board is able to enter the unit. Your board should grant access to the super. They may inspect the apartment’s condition and determine the best strategy to get rid of bugs and undesirable odors. The bylaws will specify the notice that you must provide for entry. An acceptable amount of time is often 24 or 48 hours.
If the shareholder permits the super to enter the flat, you can gauge the scope of the issue.
You might need to seek the court for a court order to force access. Shareholders usually ignore any letters and notifications.
Involve a Third Party:
In these circumstances, a board would resort to a relative or close friend who could persuade the shareholder. They need to understand there needs to be a cleaning of the apartment and the removal of the trash.
There are companies that specialize in cleaning up the clutter from hoarders’ apartments.
The shareholder could also agree to put things in storage.
You can ask Adult Protective Services, a division of New York City’s Department of Social Services for assistance in the absence of a relative. They will make an effort to get in touch with the person who needs assistance. They can strive to engage the necessary measures to address the issue.
In such circumstances, you might need to approach the court to name a guardian for the hoarding shareholder if the court determines that the shareholder cannot understand the gravity of the situation.
A guardian is a person or group with legal authority to assume responsibility over and make decisions for another person. This will entail submitting a court petition.
Eviction is a Final Resort:
For behavior that violates the lease and is not remedied after notice, the co-op board has the option of terminating the proprietary lease and expelling the tenant shareholder.
After delivering a notice to cure, or by terminating the lease for undesirable behavior, an eviction and termination of the proprietary lease can happen.
These actions can take a board of directors a lot of time, and in either case, you must give the shareholder the required notice and present witnesses who can attest to how the circumstances are preventing them from living peacefully in their unit.
That is not simple to do, which is why, among other things, an eviction process should be your final choice.
January 9, 2023
A mound of greasy rat carcasses sat in front of Eric Adams. He describes his strategy for ridding the city of its vermin issue in the late summer of 2019.
The then-Borough President of Brooklyn remarked that “many people have accepted having rats in their community.” He goes on, “What’s truly holding our city back is the refusal to go outside the box?”.
It’s a well-known fact that rats are taking over New York in growing numbers. Rat sighting reports increased by more than two-thirds in 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. According to city records, that pattern has persisted this year. Last month saw the largest number of rat complaints in April in at least ten years.
The city’s Health Department hasn’t yet returned to full strength. More than two years after the early stages of the epidemic forced a halt to pest control inspections. The agency performed 20% fewer inspections throughout the first four months of this year. Comparing to the same time in 2019.
Rat eradication attempts in New York City have failed repeatedly throughout the years. The New York Times issued a dire warning in 1865. The city was “quickly earning an awful renown” for breeding more rats than “any other metropolis in the Union.” Guns, birth control, scented garbage bags, and terriers have all been used as forms of defense over the years.
The surge in outdoor dining has contributed to the increase in food waste. This is to blame for the increase in rat activity. The representative also stated that the organization was concentrating on increasing enforcement and education. While pleading with the city’s property owners to help reduce rat-feeding sources. Officials and rodent mitigation specialists said that the city isn’t doing enough to reduce the rat population. For starters, the Adams administration has reduced plans for composting growth. A crucial environmental project that would also lessen on-street rat banquets.
An early epidemic rule required large residential structures to containerize their garbage. This has been dropped by the Department of Sanitation. Similar efforts to supply containers to companies that depend on independent carters have likewise failed. It has long been difficult to quantify the rat problem in New York City, let alone solve it. According to one statistical research, the number of above-ground rats is most likely about 2 million. Some estimates place the number closer than 250,000.
Currently, the Council is asking the mayor’s office to increase its existing budget by $22 million. In order to increase basket pick-up service to twice daily from once per day. This would allocate an extra $5 million for rodent control services.
Recently, it was revealed that Eric Adams is looking to hire someone to deal with the rat issue.
Someone who is “slightly bloodthirsty” and devoted to the “wholesale murder” of vermin to lead the city’s war on rats.
The new position will be paid between $120,000 and $170,000 per year and report to the deputy mayor for operations. It was formerly known as the director of rodent mitigation. A “swashbuckling attitude, clever humor, and general air of badassery” are among the requirements for the position.
Will this “Rat Czar” be what NYC needs? Positive outcomes are all we can hope for.
January 5, 2023
Winter heating tips help apartment residents save money, improve comfort, and reduce unnecessary heat loss during colder months.
Read below to get some new ideas.
1. Clear The Way
Today, the most typical apartment heating methods are radiators and duct-connected vents. Examine your apartment for heat registers. Are radiators obstructed by sofas, chairs, bed frames, tables, or other furniture, preventing warm air from circulating uniformly across the room? Similarly, are heat vents clean and unobstructed, enabling optimal airflow?
Vents near floor frames or above floor crown molding are especially troublesome. Apartment furniture may easily block off floor-side air vents without your knowledge. This winter, channel your inner HGTV interior designer by rearranging apartment objects to create obvious heat resister channels.
2. Add Reflectors
Radiators radiate heat in all directions, including the wall directly behind them. Heat-directed there does nothing for your apartment. Fortunately, radiator reflectors come in handy here.
These heat-resistant sheets slide behind radiators and nearby walls, diverting warmth back into the space rather than absorbing it. Find heat-resistant reflecting sheets online or in your local hardware shop, where they cost between $20 and $40.
Please keep in mind that reflectors only operate when placed between a radiator and an outside wall. Interior walls, such as those separating rooms in your flat, will not contribute as much to overall heat loss.
3. Buy a Humidifier
Using humidifiers in the winter helps more than only prevent dry skin and chapped lips. Humidity acts as a heat amplifier as well.
Humid air captures and holds heat more effectively than dry air. Including a humidifier in your bedroom and living area will assist control warmer temperatures while also providing additional benefits such as less dry skin.
The Department of Energy recommends testing the relative humidity levels in your unit. The ideal relative humidity values for your house should be between 20 and 40%. When the moisture levels in your house are acceptable, you may lower your thermostat a few degrees without feeling a significant change.
4. Keep Those Curtains Under Control
Allow sunshine to enter your flat by leaving the curtains open during the day. Windows towards the east, south, and west should be kept open during the day to capture the most natural heat and light. Draw your curtains or blinds around sundown to trap in the heat that has gathered during the day.
If you buy quilted curtains for your home, you’ll get extra points. Quilted drapes’ thicker fabric is ideal for trapping more heat at night.
5. Purchase a Thermostat
Examine your lease, then inquire with your landlord about installing a programmable or “smart” thermostat in your house. Programmable thermostats change heat settings automatically throughout the day based on the parameters you choose.
You may configure a programmable thermostat to reduce the temperature while you sleep, increase it about an hour before you get up, lower it again before you leave for work, and warm it again when you return home. Smart thermostats learn your patterns and begin to program themselves. A pre-programmed heat moderator like this may save you 3-10% on your heating expenditures for every degree you reduce over the course of 24 hours.
This equates to $100-150 saved every year.
6. Weatherstrip Windows and Doors
The average home loses between 25 and 30% of its entire heat usage. Who is the major offender? Windows that are old, unsealed, or incorrectly locked.
Weatherstrips around windows, external doors, and even attic hatchways help to seal those heat-leaking panes. Use adhesive-backed weatherstrips for simple installation, and be sure to clean all surfaces before applying the strips.
If your home doesn’t have double-paned storm windows, consider constructing your own by wrapping plastic wrap over your windows.
8. Close Your Doors
Leaving doors open during the day may not appear to be a waste of energy. However, locking the doors to separate rooms helps to keep heat inside. It’s a simple and straightforward method, especially in bigger buildings with many bedrooms.
Apply the same rationale to rooms that aren’t commonly used. Consider gradually lowering the thermostat throughout your flat, utilizing closed doors to block and trap in the existing warm air as temps decrease.
9. Keep Heat On
Your heating system will actually cost more to operate if it is constantly turned off and on than if the temperature is changed. While turning off the heat appears to be the most straightforward approach to saving money on your bills, you wind up spending more in the process of restarting.
As a general guideline, avoid regularly turning off your heat. If you’re going to be gone for a lengthy amount of time, turn the thermostat down but not completely off to prevent pipes from freezing.
10. Always Put On Socks
Sorry, barefoot enthusiasts. Winter is not the time to strut about the house like it’s a day at the beach. In fact, the feet are particularly sensitive to temperature changes in the body. Cold feet make it harder to feel warm in other regions of the body.
As a consequence, even if your thermostat is set to a suitable temperature, you will feel cold in your home. Make it a house rule that everyone must wear socks, trousers, and long sleeves before turning on the heat. Even so, you may always add another layer or a blanket.
Forget about spring cleaning: the cooler months leading up to winter are ideal for giving your apartment’s HVAC components some TLC. Dust radiators and vent holes, particularly those near the floor baseboards. Clean the window glass before closing and locking them
These little steps not only preserve heat components in good working order, but they also enhance apartment air quality, making your house healthier.
January 3, 2023
Do you want to know if your apartment is or was rent stabilized? The state’s Housing and Community Renewal agency will have the rent history information.
This is how:
You will receive a printed copy of your rental history in the mail. View here!
According to tenant advocates, the techniques listed above are the simplest ways to obtain your rent history. If you want your rent history immediately, receiving it in person is also possible.
You can find the addresses and phone numbers for each office here.
You must provide identification with a photo and your lease agreement. An energy statement, a rent receipt, or a copy of your lease are all acceptable examples. When you arrive, be ready to fill out a records request form.
Remember that the HCR won’t have a rent history for you if your unit has never been rent stabilized. It’s worth checking if you’re uncertain! Only the landlord or current renter of a property may ask HCR for one. Doing so is free of charge.
What should you do after you have your rent history, or if you believe you have been overcharged? It can occasionally be challenging to determine what your legal rent should be without legal counsel. A lawyer may be in the best position to assist.
Legal Aid and Legal Services provide low-income New Yorkers with consultations. Aas well as legal clinics if one chooses to seek legal advice from a housing attorney or tenant rights organization.
For anyone who would like to receive legal advice, the NYC Bar Association has an online form and a phone number:(212-626-7373 or 917-832-1927 for Spanish).
December 27, 2022
According to an agreement made between the state and lawyers who fought to keep the program running, New York’s rental assistance program might close to new applicants as early as next month.
The agreement lifts a temporary injunction that allowed renters to avoid eviction proceedings while they awaited rulings on their cases and maintained the Emergency Rental Assistance Program operational through 2022 despite funds being in short supply.
The committee agreed with the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance that there is insufficient funding to assist struggling New Yorkers who petition for rent relief beyond January 15, 2023.
The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance says that applications from New Yorkers who have fallen behind on their rent since the pandemic started, lost income, and are in low- to moderate-income families be turned in before January 15, 2023.
Certain tenants may apply for money through the ERAP program to assist with back rent payments. Landlords receive the payments, which are made using state and federal funding. While applications are being processed, tenants cannot be kicked out.
The state has mentioned the application may reopen in the future for tenants, in the event new state or federal money became available.
December 26, 2022
A co-op sublet policy in NYC determines when shareholders can rent out their apartment, what fees apply, and whether board approval is required. When a New Yorker is interested in acquiring a NYC co-op unit, one of the most common concerns is: what is the sublet policy?
Even though you may have long-term plans to stay, it’s critical that you understand how the subletting policy will impact you personally as a shareholder. Before you decide to invest in a co-op, ask the necessary questions to understand how rigid the policy is.
You buy shares in the company that owns the building when you buy a co-op unit. These shares grant you an exclusive lease on your apartment. You have two options if you leave the apartment but keep ownership of your shares:
You have two options if you leave the apartment but keep ownership of your shares: Sublease is just a different name for a sublet.
You should first be aware of the limitations imposed by the policy on your usage of the unit. Second, you should be aware of the financial implications of subletting the unit. Co-ops’ restrictions on subletting are designed to encourage high owner occupancy and minimal turnover. Although the rule may appear excessive, most buildings and co-op boards believe that shareholders will look after the unit better than tenants.
Your use as a resident may not be impacted by the rules, but you have to know the re-sale potential.
Your co-op building’s rules may discourage potential buyers of your unit depending on how strictly they are imposed.
Additionally, if you are subletting, many co-ops charge you extra fees. These costs can easily mount up. A co-op with reduced costs is obviously preferred if there’s a chance you’ll sublet.
Because sublet restrictions limit the capacity of shareholders to sublease the unit, co-ops are typically not seen as desirable rental properties for investment buyers. Additionally, if you keep ownership of your shares, the additional costs offset any possible earnings or cost savings.
Minimum Number of Occupants Necessary: In many co-op buildings, shareholders must occupy the unit for a predetermined period of time before they are permitted to sublet the apartment. Shareholders are frequently required to occupy the apartment for one to three years before being permitted to rent.
Minimum Sublet Term: Co-ops demand minimum sublet durations of at least 1 year in order to discourage short-term rentals. Some cooperatives permit a two-year period
Maximum Subletting Allowance For a Shareholder: Most co-ops establish limits over time. In most co-ops, you are only permitted to sublet for two of every five years as long as you have met the minimum residency requirement. You will be among the fortunate if you come across a building with no limits.
Board approval: The right to sublet your flat is typically subject to board approval, much like when you purchase a co-op. As a result, it takes longer to rent out your property while you wait for permission, and there is no assurance the board will accept the applicant.
Percentage of Monthly Maintenance: An ongoing increase in your monthly maintenance constitutes the most typical sublet charge. This sublet surcharge varies for each co-op and, on average, can account for 10% to 30% of your monthly maintenance.
Fixed Fee Per Number of Shares Owned: While this structure is less prevalent, shareholders are charged a set fee. The extra expense is computed by multiplying the number of shares by a co-op-determined fee. The shareholder pays this cost upfront, and it is charged to the sublet each year.
A Higher Fee Every Year of Subletting: If your co-operative has a cap on the number of years you can sublet, you might be subject to a maintenance fee that changes each year. For instance, you might have to pay 10% of yearly maintenance in the first year, 15% of annual maintenance in the second year, and so forth with further rises in upcoming years.
The details of each co-op in New York City will vary. If you ask the appropriate questions, you will get the right information you need to choose a building with a sublease policy that suits your requirements.
December 21, 2022
New York was listed as one of the ten most expensive cities in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) last year using the Worldwide Cost of Living Index.
The city has actually topped that list this year for the first time ever, officially becoming the most expensive city to live in the whole globe, matching in first place with Singapore, given the steady growth in our average rent rates and living expenditures.
This is a major deal, especially given that New York was ranked sixth in 2021.
The EIU examines more than 400 distinct prices across 200 different items and services with a spectrum of shape and function in 172 different locations to produce the yearly list.
According to the report, the pandemic’s impacts and the Russian war in Ukraine are mostly to blame for the average cost of living increase of about 8%.
Fuel costs rose significantly in cities (as they did last year), but city residents are also paying more for food, utilities, and household products.
1. New York and Singapore (tied)
2. Tel Aviv, Israel
3. Hong Kong and Los Angeles (tied)
4. Zurich, Switzerland
5. Geneva, Switzerland
6. San Francisco, California
7. Paris, France
8. Copenhagen, Denmark
NYC green building compliance is becoming essential as owners respond to new environmental laws and energy efficiency standards affecting condominiums, co-ops, and multifamily properties across New York City.
As the younger generation attempts to assist clean up our environment through greener efforts, sustainability in the United States is growing in popularity every year. Even major cities nowadays are making every effort to combat climate change.
For instance, New York City’s Local Law 97 plan (LL97) went into force in 2019. It mandates that most structures larger than 25,000 square feet must comply with new energy-efficiency requirements and gas emission reductions by 2024. This regulation has the greatest impact on NYC’s condominiums and other co-ops. Thus the owners of these kinds of buildings must find out how to modify and adapt their standard operating procedures in order to comply with the new rules.
We’ll go through some of the finest ways owners can follow this regulation by becoming green in the sections below.
An excellent approach to support energy conservation is through solar electricity. In fact, utilizing solar energy in any way may have an impact on the environment, whether it be a simple modification like putting solar-powered lights around the house or a major undertaking like installing solar panels. The LL97’s primary objective is to cut emissions from the biggest buildings in the city by 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050.
A typical multifamily rental building uses around 60% less power than a condo or co-op, according to some research, in New York City. LL97 helps to address problems like this. Going solar might lower the amount of greenhouse gas emissions created by each kilowatt-hour of solar energy produced by these structures.
In the United States, energy waste is a concern, particularly in major cities like New York City. This is due to the fact that many building owners are unaware of the negative environmental impacts of operating their electrical, air conditioning, and heating systems continuously. A/C and heating systems, for instance, utilize so much power that they significantly contribute to global warming. According to some estimates, air conditioning and heating systems will account for around 25% of the cause of global warming by the year 2050.
Residents and employees, especially in a condo or co-op, frequently forget to turn off a light when they leave a room. Even while it might not seem like much now, this will eventually result in a greater problem. One possible fix for this is to put smart home technologies in each condo or co-op unit. Making use of this technology has a number of advantages. There would be no need to remember to switch off the lights, faucets, or heat, which keeps you and the building under control. The installation of various forms of smart home technologies can also help you conserve energy. In actuality, smart houses with technology may save energy use by up to 45%.
-Smart thermostats may help each room use up to 20% less energy. -Automatic lighting can save energy usage by up to 45%.
-Automatic faucets can save 700 gallons of water annually.
Start Recycling
Recycling, despite what some people may believe, has a significant positive impact on the environment, especially in large places like New York City where garbage is a concern. Building owners lose a lot of money every year as a result of frequent material waste and replacement, in addition to creating the misleading impression that New York is a “filthy” city. However, recycling would enable owners to cut costs and abide by the new regulation.
Additionally, recycling is a relatively simple process to adopt in buildings. Building owners would only need to provide recycling bins in clearly accessible locations throughout the facility. Along with bins for certain metals, plastics, and glasses, they could also feature bins for paper or cardboard boxes. Owners and boards have a responsibility to educate the community on the value of recycling. To help promote better recycling, they could even provide incentives or awards.
Conserve Water
In the US, water waste has long been a problem. Every year, homes, companies, and other structures misuse millions of tons of water. Approximately 5% of the nation’s total carbon emissions are attributable to water use for household or commercial purposes. Water waste exacerbates the problem in New York City. New York City utilizes 1 billion gallons of water on average per day.
Installing automated faucets in every unit can aid in water conservation because they turn off when not in use. Alternatively, they might politely request that homeowners turn off the faucets when not in use in order to raise awareness. ‘
Conclusions
NYC green building compliance requires owners to adopt practical sustainability measures that lower emissions, improve efficiency, and help buildings move closer to Local Law 97 goals.
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Owners should review official Local Law requirements through New York City Department of Buildings.
Owners can also explore our building compliance services through our internal management resources.
December 16 2022
