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| Brooklyn Bridge Park. Nov. 2010 You may have seen this before. But lately it's been getting lots of positive feedback on forums- weird how that works right? |
First let me say we were taken to court for the commencement of eviction proceedings.
Before you hyperventilate (MOM) know this- the suit failed.
Here's why. We actually pay our rent.
I know!
We pay our rent in money orders and get those money orders personally stamped by the building owner's assistant JUST IN CASE.
In case of what?
THIS!
We were taken to housing court because our building owner insisted we owed them 6 THOUSAND dollars. THOUSAND! W. T. EFFER????
Meanwhile Dave (who does NOT get paid if he takes a day off) has been running around sending certified letters with proof of payment and meeting with building managers to settle the claim and what did that get him? BUPKIS! NADA! Nothing.
The heat goes off for 3 days (in zero degree weather), the hallway lights don't function for 2 months, the intercom system goes offline for 8 months, rats raise entire generations in the garbage cans out front because the super doesn't clean every day... WHO CARES?! IGNORED. We were actually told the building owner did not "have time" to handle these daily "minor upkeep" tasks on our brand new building which now looks run down in a neighborhood where everyone else owns and keeps their buildings in tip-top shape. WE organize the garbage. WE sweep the floors in the halls. WE trap those YUCKOLA rats (Well not ME- the neighbor on the first floor does that. I don't believe in glue traps even thought I don't like rats).
The lawyers actually uttered the words "They have 1,000 units to look after"
Say WHAT?? If you can't look after your properties STOP BUYING!!
Sheesh!
Here's the thing- New York State has some wonderfully protective tenant laws. Tenants OWN this city. Every single one of those violations is reason for a month's rent credit. The lawyer knows this so he's pulling a slick willie to see if we scare easily. He shows up with a very well organized list of missed rent payments with blank spaces where check numbers should be. That's when I LOST IT and yelled that he needed to stop wasting time and that we wanted to go before the judge. Why? Because Dave met with building management on January 8th and they NEVER SHOWED US THAT LIST. In fact they LET US SIGN A NEW 2 YEAR LEASE!!! So I played "bad cop" (ok yelling, wild eyed, incoherent cop) to Dave's Salvadorian Columbo.
Dave went into chambers and was all: "Hmmm I don't understand.. Can you please explain this?" all the while listening and pretending he doesn't know what's going on. He then proceeded to wipe the floor with that fancy lawyer. I stood there in utter awe- my husband is a GENIUS under pressure!!!
To make this very long story short- we don't owe jack. We never owed jack but now we have court papers that show we don't and the building owner is now forced to fix the lights, the intercom and find a new home for those rats by March 1st.
I LOVE NEW YORK!
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| Out in front- sans rats. |
M.
