You should contact the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA). Because your building has 100 units, they will provide about $5,000 toward a total energy use analysis of your building by an outside approved and qualified energy consultant from their list who will create an Energy Reduction Plan for your building. If your Energy Reduction Plan reduces energy consumption by 15% NYSERDA will provide some significant funding toward completing the project. Go to www.NYSERDA.org/mulifamily or call 212-971-5342. Also, try contacting the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) at EDF.org (212-616-1337) and try to speak with Isabelle Silvermen, who is a wealth of information.

Thanks for all the great information guys.

I am working with Frank. He is definetly awesome to work with and knows what he is doing. We can get a Firm rate and just have to sign the deal now.

Our main goal now is to get some rebates/incentives to do this conversion.

Eric, I'll touch base with you next week.

Regards,
Sanjeev.

You should refer to the proprietary lease regarding responsibilities.
Management companies do not dictate or establish house rules, the governing documents do ( bylaws, PL, NYCBL). If those documents are unclear or not specific enough, you should seek advise from the buildings attorney.

We do have our attorney looking into this. It looks like we will have to amend the proprietary lease because it does not specifically reference terrace doors and only mentions "'special doors' are the responsibility of the lessee." I'm sure the shareholders questioning this will argue that the term 'special doors' is not specific enough and open to interpretation.

I am just curious to get feedback from other buildings to hear how terrace doors are covered in their governing docs.

If you have a terrace or windows, there are responsibilities on the co-op or the shareholder for the maintenance and repair of the terrace and the windows in your Proprietary Lease. If the co-op is responsible for windows, I would say your exterior doors should also be your responsibility. Otherwise, you may end up with miscellaneous doors and diverse installations that may, in the long run, hurt the exterior looks of the co-op and may cause leaks if the installer did not do it correctly. Similarly, if the terrace is repaired by the co-op, my gut instinct is that the co-op pays for the exterior doors and sliders as well to retain uniformity.

The fact that the apartments with terraces have more shares than others should not be an issue. Shareholders of those apartments pay proportionately more in rent or maintenance than others when an assessment is passed for an an amenity that may be used by all. For example, a complex with a pool finds higher maintenance shareholders paying more for the repair of the pool than those with less number of shares, but in essence all can use the pool in equal measure. The same may be said for replacement of carpets: all walk on them to a greater or lesser degree without consideration for shares owned. So, if some shareholders with higher number of shares get a break for terrace doors, let them feel good for receiving something for their higher contribution.

Finally, if shareholders were charged for something that the co-op was supposed to do but did not do, that should not be a problem. If the shareholders made the change on their own to have a better door, etc., then there is no need to apologize; they did it on their own for the sake of having a better door.

AdC

If you have a terrace or windows, there are responsibilities on the co-op or the shareholder for the maintenance and repair of the terrace and the windows in your Proprietary Lease. If the co-op is responsible for windows, I would say your exterior doors should also be your responsibility. Otherwise, you may end up with miscellaneous doors and diverse installations that may, in the long run, hurt the exterior looks of the co-op and may cause leaks if the installer did not do it correctly. Similarly, if the terrace is repaired by the co-op, my gut instinct is that the co-op pays for the exterior doors and sliders as well to retain uniformity.

The fact that the apartments with terraces have more shares than others should not be an issue. Shareholders of those apartments pay proportionately more in rent or maintenance than others when an assessment is passed for an an amenity that may be used by all. For example, a complex with a pool finds higher maintenance shareholders paying more for the repair of the pool than those with less number of shares, but in essence all can use the pool in equal measure. The same may be said for replacement of carpets: all walk on them to a greater or lesser degree without consideration for shares owned. So, if some shareholders with higher number of shares get a break for terrace doors, let them feel good for receiving something for their higher contribution.

Finally, if shareholders were charged for something that the co-op was supposed to do but did not do, that should not be a problem. If the shareholders made the change on their own to have a better door, etc., then there is no need to apologize; they did it on their own for the sake of having a better door.

AdC

Hi, you can check out our service for coops and condos, Resident Net at www.resident-net.com

Mark Levine
(mark@resident-net.com)

W e decided to split fuel costs off from the rest of operations due to the fluctuation in costs and therefore are creating a core increase of x%, and an adjustable rate x% tied to fuel costs. IT's not a monthly variable rate it is an annual adjustable so we don't keep compounding it year after year.

I would try the following:
Google it.
Call local funeral homes and the city morgue for recommendations... if they don't know, perhaps they can guide you.
Post the position on craigslist.

Check credentials with the BBB.

call 311 and file a no heat complaint with the dob.
they'll send an inspector pretty fast to investigate.
much easier, much cheaper and very effective.

You said it was a new unit, but not if it was a new building. Entertain the possibility that it might not be malicious and that something just isn't working properly. I moved into a gut-renovated apt. in a pre-war building 3 years ago, and none of us on the top floor had adequate heat... my apt. was often below 60°. We had engineers in here, to no avail. The lower floors were overheated and the top floor was freezing. Then, miraculously, THIS winter has been FABULOUS. The only thing that changed is that we switched from oil to gas heat. I have no idea if that made any difference, or if it's a coincidence. All I know is I am now living like a normal human being in my own apt., meaning I don't have to wear 6 layers in order to not freeze.

Get a thermometer; keep a chart; keep track... so you have proof. You can also photograph the thermometer readings in case you wanted to e-mail it to someone.

I agree... the place to start is with 311/DOB. But keep in mind violations listed w/ the DOB might end up backfiring on you, the owner, in the long run.