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We are a self-managed Coop (6 units). We all have exposed sprinkler pipes in our apartments, and we've had to hire a painter to paint the main pipes and risers red.
One unit didn't grant access to the painter though, and the owner of that unit promised he would paint it himself. Unfortunatly, we have no way of veryfing if he will comply with this rule or not.
In case he doesn't apply the Fire Department code, who would be responsible: the Coop, or the owner of this unit?
Thanks in advance.
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Laure - If the unit-owner wants to paint the sprinkler pipes himself, give him a time limit (30 days?) to complete the project, and inform him board members will want to inspect the work and possibly take photographs. Tell him you want a signed commitment from him that he is taking responsibility for complying with the FD regulations, and that he will also be responsible for any penalties imposed on the building for non-compliance.
If he refuses, check your proprietary lease. Most leases have provisions which allow board members to enter an apartment without the owner's permission to perform emergency repairs. In my opinion (but check with your attorney first), non-compliance with a fire department directive calls for emergency repairs. In any event check with your attorney before taking any action.
In my opinion, the individual shareholder is responsible for either taking care of the requirement or permitting the co-op to perform the work in his apartment. He should therefore be responsible for all non-compliance penalties.
But all this being said, are you sure the individual pipes branching off of the main runners need to be painted? In a lot of buildings the pipes are not exposed, and therefore can't be painted. If you haven't already checked the regulations, this might save you some aggravation and expense.
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