Create Conversation
Subscribe for Daily Updates!
Hello,
I'd appreciate some advice on how to convert from coin-operated laundry to card in my small (10 units) condo. Our machines are quite old - I believe from 1987. The washers are Maytag Neptune, the dryers are ADC (American Dryer Corporation); the washers cost 1.50 in quarters and the dryer costs .25 for 6 minutes. I am not on the board so do not have information on whatever contractual obligations we have but could find out (I believe my last building had a contract with Hercules). I hardly see anymore condos or coops with coin operated laundry and I suspect this is one thing making my building less desirable than others on the market. Thanks for any advice.
In September 2011 I discovered a crack in the hot water pipe return from the baseboard. Since I do not turn the heating in the apt, it is way too hot anyway, there was no water leak, only loud whistle of air being sucked into the crack by the return water pump. I plugged the crack with some plumber putty to prevent air entering the system and asked the super for his recommendation for a plumber to have the pipe repaired. His response was that the building maintenance people can do the job themselves and I don't need to find anyone and can save money. He said "That's what we are here for". A quote in the amount of $320.80 was given to me for the part needed to do the job. I agreed to have the work done for this amount after the end of the heating season.
In July 2012 I raised this issue with the super and the maintenance company representative since no job has been done by then and it was agreed that my pipe/baseboard should be repaired/replaced before the heating season starts to avoid potential water leaks and damages to the apartment downstairs.
In August 2012 the baseboard was replaced by a plumber hired by the maintenance company without any quotes, notices or my approvals. No Maintenance Requests was ever filed, neither I authorized to enter my apt in my absence. I was billed about three times of the original quote amount - $952.66. I refused to pay the bill sent to me and only paid the amount of the original quote, sent several e-mails to the maintenance company disputing this new charge, but the only response I received was that 'you agreed to have the work done".
For 2 years the difference between the billed amount and the money I paid remained constant in my monthly maintenance bill and the entire issue remained stagnant. Every month I paid my maintenance bill in full and on time indicating that the money I was paying was for the maintenance only and should not be applied towards the charge under dispute. Then in November 2014 my monthly maintenance payment was applied to cover that disputed amount, monthly maintenance was indicated as 'not paid in full' and a late charge was added to the bill. Any new e-mail regarding this issue to the maintenance company or the Board remain unanswered.
Any advice about how to proceed further beyond sending a certified letter?
Thank you!
Scenerio: Shareholder with a long history of problematic behaviors including multiple lawsuits is suspected of using apartment as an air b&b. When questioned once (management simply asked for contact infor on family staying in apartment) shareholder became extremely objectionable and demanded to know who was asking about visitors and never provided the infor and starting making claims of being "singled out".
Shareholder recently sent an email to board stating visitors were coming for the holidays.
Here's the catch- there really is no obvious violation to house rules or PL. But, what if the shareholder is "secretly" collecting $ for hosting tourists/visitors?
So the conversation takes us to how can a Board address the issue of increasing new yorkers making a buck by "renting" a coach or two as a nyc air bb in the co-ops?
I live in a small condo, 10 units. I realize that we are too small to have a live-in super, but are there any NYC or DOB requirements relating to having a super at all? The person described as the "part time super" is actually a porter - just responsible for cleaning the building, with no knowledge of the building's mechanical systems, plumbing, or electrical work. Apparently we have 1 or 2 ad hoc professionals who come infrequently to check on the building (e.g., turning on the heater for the winter months). Is there anything I can do to get my board to hire a real super? I am fine with the person not living in the building; it would just be good to have someone available, even part-time, who has a super's skills.
> Join the conversation Comments (1)
i notice that the yearly audit footnotes on its accountability has changed twicw ivwe the years, it seems like the auditor is distancing itself from the coop, and lowering its accountability.
Is there a requirement for the type of audit and standards or can they tailor the audit to fit the reported numbers?
Once a year an inspector comes to NYC HPD built buildings and does an inspection. I questioned the inspector of what exactly happens to the reports they write since the building has had the same construction defects they we are trying to rectify. It doesn't seem write that HPD inspects their own buildings? Duh, you wonder why they have so many ongong issues. With the ongoing turnover at these city agencies what exactly happens to the report? the inspector failed to answer the questions I asked. What exactly is HPD & NYCHDC accountable for?
> Join the conversation
Hi, I'm on the board of our 60 unit building. The sponsor still holds 46% of shares in the building. This is causing a lot of issues as new buyers have tremendous problems getting a mortgage. Most major banks don't want to lend for fear of the high sponsorship rate. A Fannie Mae loan is not possible to be had.
Apart from that it is hurting the building in other ways: the high turnover rate of renters who are constantly moving in and out; no control over who gets accepted as a renter by the sponsor; no following of house rules by the tenants and of course, the resale possibility of the individual apartments.
We have started a law suit against the sponsor in order to get them to sell units but so far the only result has been that they offered to sell five apartments which doesn't really change much about the mortgage situation. Any ideas what we can do?
Thank you.
Interested in hearing from others about how their board's are handling hoarders and/or hoarder types. We are in a small 12 unit Co-op. Most units have been renovated. Some of the original "sponsors" are still here and have never done anything to the Units. So, there's old plumbing, old makeshift kitchens and on top of that units are full of stuff.
Is it the Board's responsibility to check each unit for potential hazardous conditions such as crowded space?
Thanks for commenting .
I live in a 60 unit Co-op building in nyc. We went co-op in 1986. The sponsor still owns 49% of the units. We have not had a sale in the last 6 years that required financing, all have been cash deals and limited to 1 bedrooms. I have a four bedroom and have just listed my apartment.
Is there any way to find out if our building is on a due not lend list with major banks? Im afraid we won’t be able to sell because buyers can’t get financing from major banks due to the building sponsor.
I did raise this to the property manager who is also the sponsor and they pointed out they could provide financing to credit worthy people through a bank that the principal of the sponsor runs.
Any thoughts?
Last year our coop board met for the annual election and after that meeting they were never heard from again. Nobody knows who is the president and there has been no communications at all. Is this a violation of coop bylaws or just stupidity?
> Join the conversation Comments (3)Introduce yourself to other members of Board Talk! Log in below or register here.
Board Talk members who registered prior to March 9th, 2016 will need to reset their password.
Most laundry companies post their name somewhere in the laundry room, so users can call for refunds, report non-operating equipment, etc. They usually have contracts that include providing, installation and maintenance of the equipment, collecting the money and paying the commission, and periods can run from a couple of years to 8 or 10 years.
It is probably not cost effective to retrofit the old machines for cards.
New machines are generally high efficiency front loaded washers and dryers that use less electricity, gas, water and soap. They also may take longer to wash and dry, and can be set up to run with card payments. Gas, water and electricity are usually provided and paid for by the building. Various card options are available. The simplest uses $5, $10 or $20 bills in a machine to add value to a laundry card, which is then used in the laundry machines. Other systems accept credit cards directly into the laundry machines, or into the machine used to add value to laundry cards. These options will require at minimum, an internet connection. A number of the laundry companies in the NY area have merged over the last several years, and there is some competition in securing a new contract. You can get some upgrades to the laundry room - painting, new floor, chairs, tv?, some offer internet updates as the washer or dryer load is finished, etc. In my building, we installed water meters on the hot and cold lines to see how much water we're using. I want do the same for the gas and electric, to see what we are spending to have the equipment and how the commission offsets the costs. Do a web search and check out the companies, you should be able to find articles on the HabitatMag.com web site as well - search on 'laundry'. Many companies are represented at the annual Coop Expo sponsored by Habitat in the Spring.
Thank you for rating!
You have already rated this page, you can only rate it once!
Your rating has been changed, thanks for rating!
Board Talk members who registered prior to March 9th, 2016 will need to reset their password.