Condo Owner Rails Against Board-Approved Christmas Lights

Dec. 24, 2014 — What is it about holiday decorations that set us at odds with one another? At a small condo in Brooklyn, a unit owner decorated the building’s outdoor handrails with Christmas lights after getting the board’s blessing. According to another unit owner, there are so many lights the handrails are unusable. The unit-owner asked the board to remove lights from at least one of the railings, but nothing happened. A call to 311 proved fruitless as well. "I am not interested in causing a lot of fuss, but only want to avoid injury. If the board does not take action to remove them, what rights do I have?" In the latest "Ask Real Estate" column in The New York Times, Ronda Kaysen explains that the unit owner basically has one of two options. Given the board's approval, the unit-owner may have to live with the lights until the holidays are over. We're guessing that's not exactly what the unit-owner wants to hear. The second option is to create a lot of fuss. "Owners are required to safely maintain their property. So, it is possible that a city inspector would find the condition creates a safety hazard and issue a violation," says Kaysen. "Call 311 back. Explain that you think that the condo board is not safely maintaining the building, and that you would like the handrail inspected." And if that doesn't work? Appeal to the (now probably not-too-pleased) board pointing out the safety concerns, or… suck it up until the holidays are over. Nearly there.