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Hi, everyone. I live in a rent-stabilized apartment in Manhattan. It’s just a little studio, but I know I’m extremely lucky.
One drawback, though, is that the refrigerator and stove in my apartment are incredibly old.
Toward the end of summer, 2016 I started thinking about whether or not I could replace the stove and refrigerator on my own dime. I reached out to the building manager to get his permission. He said that I couldn’t purchase my own appliances, but management would be willing to buy the appliances and calculate it into a rent increase. Because of the size of the building, the rent increase would have been 1/60 of the cost of the appliances. It was a small amount of money, so I agreed to the rent increase and informed the building manager the models I wanted. This was back in November, 2016.
Since that time - nothing. No rent increase, and no new appliances.
I’ve followed up with the building manager more than once, but he doesn’t respond.
What do you think I can do at this stage? Is my only option to keep pestering him? Since he doesn’t respond, can I just go ahead with the original plan and buy my own appliances?
Building manager may be waiting for owner/landlord to grant approval. Sometimes even in larger buildings managers still have to have owners sign off on things. That and paperwork must be prepared and submitted for the rent increase, which cannot be done until cost of appliances is known.
Also no, generally you cannot remove old and or non-working appliances from an apartment without LL's consent. Anything that was in the unit when you moved in belongs to LL and thus is his property. This applies to AC, fridge, stove, and any other appliance. Obviously if previous tenant left a television or something that is different.
Rent control laws state only that LL must provide *working* appliances. They do not address "old" or whatever, just that it must be functional. Indeed many LL's will replace a broken fridge or stove with another near busted old unit from another apartment or storage. Usually this is when tenant won't agree to the rent increase for a "new" unit.
Even "new" is a very lose word. Many LL's get appliances from bulk "scratch and dent" discount (landlord or builders specials) places. This and or "reconditioned" units from companies that specialize in such things.
Reach out to your LL again and remind him; things may have fallen through cracks and someone forgot.
I’m sure it’s in an older building, you don’t want to touch the gas line without management approval
Actually by code/law only a licensed plumber can install anything with a gas connection. Dryers, ranges, ovens, stoves, etc....
Since that blast took out much of that East Village block (and the subsequent scandal over illegal gas hook-ups) Con Ed and National Grid are putting the screws to people who need gas connections done. Everything has to be by the letter, inspected to death and so forth before either will sign off and turn on the gas.
Am not saying people don't do their own gas connections. But if the work did require a permit or whatever, and it wasn't done, but then something goes down (or Kaboom!) there will be consequences and repercussions.
Hi, everyone. I live in a rent-stabilized apartment in Manhattan. It’s just a little studio, but I know I’m extremely lucky.
One drawback, though, is that the refrigerator and stove in my apartment are incredibly old.
Toward the end of summer, 2016 I started thinking about whether or not I could replace the stove and refrigerator on my own dime. I reached out to the building manager to get his permission. He said that I couldn’t purchase my own appliances, but management would be willing to buy the appliances and calculate it into a rent increase. Because of the size of the building, the rent increase would have been 1/60 of the cost of the appliances. It was a small amount of money, so I agreed to the rent increase and informed the building manager the models I wanted. This was back in November, 2016.
Since that time - nothing. No rent increase, and no new appliances.
I’ve followed up with the building manager more than once, but he doesn’t respond.
What do you think I can do at this stage? Is my only option to keep pestering him? Since he doesn’t respond, can I just go ahead with the original plan and buy my own appliances?
Please give me your thoughts. I appreciate it.
So it's been almost two years since the agreement yet they're not doing anything. You say you've followed up more than once. How assertive have you been? Perhaps the way to let them know you're serious is to put this in writing -- the fact you requested in on X date, it was agreed to on XX date and that it's now July 2018 and you expect results. Then send it certified mail, so they know you're serious.
I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not -- but it would let them know you're tired of waiting and you're stepping up your game.
I don't think tenants can dictate the models of the appliances. The landlord likely has a deal with a place like PC Richard or whatever and has a standard model or size/brand that they put in units needing replacement appliances.
Hard to believe this is still "in process" almost two years later. Sounds like they blew you off. If the appliances are in working order but just old, they probably aren't assigning much of a priority to your request. You can reach out to them and try again but if they haven't acted so far, I don't think it looks like they will move on this.
I've been thinking about this lately. My oven's pilot light is a btch, the fan doesn't work, and the rightmost burner gets stuck (fire/carbon monoxide hazard!!!). Given what I'm paying though, I'm just going to go forward with Essex Crossing. It's a $250/mo increase, but I feel like the apartment is enough of an upgrade it'd be worth it.
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