When I lived in Manhatten UES on the second floor of my coop I used the famous white noise machine at night for twenty yrs. being the original from Hammacher Schlemmer…it beautifully crowded out the noise of garbage trucks,sirens,street repair and traffic being on 62nd street crossway and I still continue to use it in virginia as it truly works…refocusing the brain waves to a soothing sound………one can leave this on all day..it becomes continuous sound breaking any other interference.
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Regarding the balcony repairs - consider the legal liability should someone fall off of one. In our strata complex, the strata corporation (meaning all of the owners in the complex) was sued, ultimately, the strata corp won the case when it was determined the victim was intoxicated and had climbed over barriers to prevent access to the balcony - a costly situation to go through in court.
Also, failing balconies can result in other consequences such as damage to the building envelope that will affect many more owners if moisture gets into the building.
In the end, common ownership has benefits and drawbacks, but for many it is the only affordable path to home ownership.
Also, failing balconies can result in other consequences such as damage to the building envelope that will affect many more owners if moisture gets into the building.
In the end, common ownership has benefits and drawbacks, but for many it is the only affordable path to home ownership.
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Re: the letter writer dealing with the singing neighbor, problems like this are particularly egregious when the "offender" is a guest vs. a resident. The LW should check his or her tenant's handbook or house rules. It's likely there are designated "quiet hours" and no doubt the singing is falling outside those hours early in the morning and late at night. I am well aware of my building's quiet hours, because my neighbors above and on both sides continually disregard them late at night with yelling, loud TV/music and heavy walking. I have approached all in a friendly manner, in person and via note. Things improve briefly, then go back. My advice is to get management involved and have the agent write a note to the daughter, noting the consequences, be them as simple as having the guest leave or even the extreme case of eviction for blatantly and repeatedly disregarding rules. But this is what an agent is for, if the friendly approach does not work -- which I bet it won't long-term.
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If the singing is going on from 6 am to midnight, the daughter either knows and isn't bothered or does not care OR she does not live in the apartment. The LW has tried to address this with the neighbor to no avail, enough is enough. Just report the situation to management.
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To the person who mentioned food smells created by foreign residents:
As a vegetarian. I am disgusted by the smell of meat on the grill, whether it is being cooked by a "foreigner" or an American citizen.
There are all kinds of smell which disgust people. And they aren't all created by "foreigners."
Anyway hubby and I once had a Vizsla, those "singing dogs" who go full opera mode when left alone. Our elderly neighbors were quite delighted by this not the least because they felt safer by a dogs voice traveling far and wide. Maybe the letter writer can feel safer knowing that her neighbor is home day and night.
As a vegetarian. I am disgusted by the smell of meat on the grill, whether it is being cooked by a "foreigner" or an American citizen.
There are all kinds of smell which disgust people. And they aren't all created by "foreigners."
Anyway hubby and I once had a Vizsla, those "singing dogs" who go full opera mode when left alone. Our elderly neighbors were quite delighted by this not the least because they felt safer by a dogs voice traveling far and wide. Maybe the letter writer can feel safer knowing that her neighbor is home day and night.
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Regarding the opera singer. It's hard to believe the daughter isn't aware of the singing if her mother sings from 6am to midnight. It's a studio apartment. There's a good chance the daughter's mother is living there and not the daughter if every time you knock she's not around. 1) tape a note to the front door to contact you by knocking. 2) go to Google Translate and print out the translations for several sentences you are trying to communicate. There are several apps that will translate voices in real time so you and the Chinese opera singer can have a real conversation. It works. And if she still pleads no understanding you won't feel bad about going to the board.
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Bet it is a loud television, not an opera singer, but an anonymous note is always a good start.
If that does not work, talk to other tenants and band together and contact the landlord or board, as if the noise is heard by one tenant, it is heard by many.
If that does not work, talk to other tenants and band together and contact the landlord or board, as if the noise is heard by one tenant, it is heard by many.
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My question: how will the letter writer know what dialect (if for sure the neighbor is Chinese) to translate their message into?
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The superintendent is operating "an illegal" cash business.
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There is no evidence of this. For all anyone knows, he is reporting this income on a schedule C and paying tax.
I don't think that is very likely, but it's certainly not the customer's problem.
I don't think that is very likely, but it's certainly not the customer's problem.
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Interesting comments for sure.
As a former board president of a co-op I agree that the neighbors of the singing mother should approach the daughter and discuss. 9 times out of 10 it works and is easier. That said, the listener does have the right of "quiet enjoyment" in her apt and the co-op board has the responsibility to help insure any shareholder. By the way Suzinne, the mother is not an illegal occupant but rather a guest.
In regard to the balconies I would bet that the maintenance charged to these apts are higher with repair in mind. Although in the short run it seems that 70% of the building are having to pay for a amenity they don't receive in reality these balconied apts could have been paying higher maintenance for decades before any repair was made. They paid their share upfront, over years.
Lady with the Super issue.. get a thicker skin. Ask up front the details and decide. Supers has a bit of power up to a point. They are still beholden to the board and can't afford to make many enemies. Be straightforward. Be a New Yorker.
As a former board president of a co-op I agree that the neighbors of the singing mother should approach the daughter and discuss. 9 times out of 10 it works and is easier. That said, the listener does have the right of "quiet enjoyment" in her apt and the co-op board has the responsibility to help insure any shareholder. By the way Suzinne, the mother is not an illegal occupant but rather a guest.
In regard to the balconies I would bet that the maintenance charged to these apts are higher with repair in mind. Although in the short run it seems that 70% of the building are having to pay for a amenity they don't receive in reality these balconied apts could have been paying higher maintenance for decades before any repair was made. They paid their share upfront, over years.
Lady with the Super issue.. get a thicker skin. Ask up front the details and decide. Supers has a bit of power up to a point. They are still beholden to the board and can't afford to make many enemies. Be straightforward. Be a New Yorker.
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And you are saying the LW is a lady why? Because only women have thin skin?
I shared a wall with an opera singer and she would practice for a couple of hours each day. I would come home from working in an inner city school in the Bronx and she'd be trilling away practicing scales. It was unnerving because all I wanted was some peace and quiet in my own apartment after hours and hours of noise at work. (I must admit it was not all day, every day as presented in this article but it was still frustrating and unnerving to deal with.) I just tried to ignore it but after several months I couldn't stand it anymore and I went to speak with her. She wouldn't back down on the singing but she was willing to text me when she was going to practice. At least I knew when the shrill noise was going to happen. Eventually I moved out of the apartment. (for reasons other than the singer)
I don't really get why people who make the noise "win". They usurp the peace and quiet of their neighbors and yet somehow this is ok. I think everyone should keep their own noise in their own accustic space. It just seems like common sense and consideration. I don't care what culture you are from - singing everyday from 6AM till 12PM is beyond inconsiderate.
I don't really get why people who make the noise "win". They usurp the peace and quiet of their neighbors and yet somehow this is ok. I think everyone should keep their own noise in their own accustic space. It just seems like common sense and consideration. I don't care what culture you are from - singing everyday from 6AM till 12PM is beyond inconsiderate.
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I agree. Unwanted noise causes psychological stress that sometimes becomes a physical problem, like high blood pressure or heart disease. That should be reason enough to stop it or to contain it, but it also makes a property worth less. Some jurisdictions require a disclosure of a problem neighbor prior to a sale, and some neighbors actively discourage prospective buyers. My spouse and I decided against buying a couple of rural properties because when we were viewing one, a neighbor began playing music through outdoor speakers, and when viewing the second, a neighbor decided to make lots of noise with heavy outdoor equipment, despite the fact that his property wasn't a farm. A third property was nixed when we saw and heard the neighbors riding their noisy ATVs up and down the road.
For now, we remain in a noisy urban area, but with the assistance of noise-cancelling headphones that should not really be necessary inside of one's own home.
For now, we remain in a noisy urban area, but with the assistance of noise-cancelling headphones that should not really be necessary inside of one's own home.
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Obviously someone singing at all hours of the day and night isn't on. But if the woman who lived next door to you was an opera singer and she gave you fair notice of her limited practice times, how was she getting one up on you?
The bane of my life as a music student was a neighbour who would not compromise under any circumstances. She worked from home and would not tolerate my practice regardless of what time of day or early evening I did it. No matter how respectable the day time hour, she'd start banging away, doing her best to disrupt me.
On the other hand, I had no ability to quieten down my neighbour's noisy weekend parties, because she was holding them in legal hours. Not that I would have tried to shut her down - a certain degree of tolerance is expected in the city.
The bane of my life as a music student was a neighbour who would not compromise under any circumstances. She worked from home and would not tolerate my practice regardless of what time of day or early evening I did it. No matter how respectable the day time hour, she'd start banging away, doing her best to disrupt me.
On the other hand, I had no ability to quieten down my neighbour's noisy weekend parties, because she was holding them in legal hours. Not that I would have tried to shut her down - a certain degree of tolerance is expected in the city.
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@Kathleen, I wish you well (eventually) moving from your noisy urban environment. I now live in an unattached small cottage with no neighbors above or below me and I LOVE it after so many years in NYC. I don't want to jinx myself, but people in my new city just naturally get what consideration is without you have to explain it to them. No more weird conflicts. And yeah, my blood pressure was climbing (for real) after years of dealing with random noise that I couldn't control in a crowded urban environment. Good luck with your search.
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In Europe, when they put in an elevator, the residents on higher floors pay more, and the ones on lower floors pay less. Not so in NYC?
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Maintenance fees are higher for apartments in higher floors in elevator buildings in NYC.
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what do you mean by "pay more"? in my condo building in NYC, the higher the floor, the higher the maintenance fees (I live on the 2nd floor, so have the lowest fees, proportionally). But it's a pretty small difference floor-to-floor, and I'm still "allowed" to use the elevator. But that sort of thing is entirely up to the way the governing docs of the building have been developed. Some buildings might have allocated things on a pure square footage basis. There's no "rule".
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Regarding 'Hiring the Super'... when he demanded cash at the last minute, you should have demanded a discount. Cash is king.
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Coop Balcony – the units with balconies have more shares than apartments without, meaning they pay more maintenance than those without balconies every month, year in year out. The assessment is also allocated by shares so the balcony owners are paying a larger assessment. The assessment itself is a way for the coop to come up with the cash needed for repairs all at once. Arguably, the balcony units have been subsidizing ordinary building operations for the 30 years no balcony repairs were needed.
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Additional shares are allocated because the balconies provide additional living space. Apartments with balconies also command higher resale values. So, yes, everyone without a balcony is paying for the restoration of the lucky shareholder's amenity that is also for his exclusive use. But as is stated in the article, that's how collective housing works.
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RE: Superintendent work. 1. You have the responsibility to make sure that all plumbing work is done to code. 2. You have no responsibility to assure that any vendor reports your payment for work as income. And cash is an acceptable form of payment.
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Yes, cash is legal tender for anything, but if someone demands cash, that should be a red flag that he or she doesn't plan to report that income. To me, that is a big issue, because millions of others are required to pay fairly high marginal tax rates on some or, as in the case of some working spouses, all of their income. If everyone paid his or her lawful share, those rates might actually be reduced. Other issues would be that banks are required to report some cash withdrawals, getting much cash at once from an ATM can be difficult due to fraud-prevention measures, and carrying a lot of cash at once can be risky and uncomfortable.
I used my condo handyman to install my new washer/dryer. Even if I could have done it cheaper,,this way I know he will do a excellent job because he's always here and a 'flood' due to his work would not be good. When the person knows his work will be watched ,you get better results...I love my new washer..and I EVEN GAVE HIM THE 'OLD' ONE FREE AND CLEAR..
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Balcony response: As a matter of law and rule, well maybe; but as for what's "right," can't wholly agree. While the comparisons to an elevator and roof are all fine (as far as they go), roofs anfd elevators do serve an entire building (and boost its utility and its value). Maintenance and repairs to balconies that are limited in use to the owners of specific units would seem to me to be something that shouldn't be shouldered by all owners. Not entirely. Surely a special assessment of the balcony owners, for the balconies, would be the osteoporosis fair way to do it.
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As the article stated: it's all spelled out within the building's rules what the co-op/condo is responsible for and what unit owners (proprietary lease holders) are responsible for. it's not a mystery and it's not up for debate. It's what you should have knowingly understood and accepted before buying.
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On the other hand, if a balcony collapsed onto the street and injured a pedestrian, then the whole building would be jointly liable.
That last sentence - you're using spell-check, right?
That last sentence - you're using spell-check, right?
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First floor residents pay their share of the cost of maintaining elevators they don't use, residents without children pay their share of the cost of playrooms, etc. The balcony repairs are no different. Anyone who buys an apartment in the building knows or should know (by reviewing the proprietary lease and other basic documents) about this kind of cost sharing.
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As for noise, there are curfew in NY, for example. Inform the person about what is appropriate and see if the person conforms. If not, call the police. File a charge. You are on solid ground. In some ways, it is better to make it a public problem, rather than just experience retaliation from a ignorant neighbor.
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Ever since the tragedy in 2013 where a balcony railing gave way with fatal consequences. the city has been getting strict about inspections of balconies and fire escapes. The rusting posts of railings can burst concrete slabs.
A co-op building is owned by the co-op corporation that is responsible for repairs. As mentioned, tenants must pay these costs whether or not it affects their particular unit. Often co-ops have an inside or outside the wall rule with tenants being footing the bill for items within their unit. Flips taxes are somewhat the reverse with all tenants benefiting from a sale.
A co-op building is owned by the co-op corporation that is responsible for repairs. As mentioned, tenants must pay these costs whether or not it affects their particular unit. Often co-ops have an inside or outside the wall rule with tenants being footing the bill for items within their unit. Flips taxes are somewhat the reverse with all tenants benefiting from a sale.
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Wouldn't the balconied apartment occupant be paying higher maintenance because of the balcony?
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Brad Heckman's quote, "[t]his is probably not a case of anyone being malicious" in the operatic neighbor comment was spot on. Speaking to a new neighbor about a noise issue is a delicate ice breaker. I think his advice and your comment can also include speaking to your neighbor about that singing dog, cat, and bird. It is another age old problem and not one easily broached. One way to handle this and establish/maintain a relationship is to bring a neutral mediator in to facilitate a conversation. It can be a good interim step to take before alerting management. They will be grateful you were solution oriented and did not ask them to step in and get involved.
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Wait - the super offered to do your job, did the job (and the dishwasher apparently works), and now is asking you to pay? Is the issue that you thought it was free, or that he is asking for (or in your seemingly-slanted story, "demanding") cash? What is the problem here - that you tried to pay by check but he wanted actual Benjamins?
Either way, the man did the work - pay him. If you're really hung up on the bidding process, go ahead and call a couple of places and find out what it might cost.
Either way, the man did the work - pay him. If you're really hung up on the bidding process, go ahead and call a couple of places and find out what it might cost.
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And if anything gos wrong, you have no proof that he did the work, because he was paid in cash—which, somehow, I don't think was reported to the IRS.
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The musical mother is actually breaking two rules. She's an illegal occupant, AND she is causing a noise disturbance. Living in an extremely ethnic neighborhood, have often wondered why landlords don't offer a handbook to tenants like these. People coming from other countries often don't even begin to understand the rules of etiquette for being a good neighbor. Where I live, tenants regularly leave their front doors open so I can hear all their noise while getting a full dose of their pungent cooking smells. Refuse to throw out their garbage and instead let it sit in the incinerator closet. Linger for long periods of time talking in the hallways where all sounds are echoed and amplified. It's actually a combination "of I don't care" and willful ignorance.
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The mother staying with her daughter is a guest and is not an illegal occupant, contrary to what you may believe and what I know to be law. I would suggest knocking on the door at 6 a.m. so as to catch the daughter and speak with her at that time.
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And don't forget putting giant speakers in the window and blasting favorite playlist all day and long into the night for the whole neighborhood to enjoy. Either a need to share or not having a clue.
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Rght. None of us have ever had a bad neighbor who was American born.
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