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I'm a current tenant in one of their buildings in Bed-Stuy and they are definitely the worst landlord I've ever had in NYC so far, it's not even close. They are the exact definition of a slumlord. They will gaslight & lie to you every step of the way.
We moved into the unit in August 2021 and the very first day I noticed about 5 mice running around the apartment in broad daylight, I was also starting a brand new remote job that day too, absolutely wonderful. We noticed there were 3 giant holes under the sink, which they were coming from so the apartment wasn't properly maintained before moving in. The dishwasher was also completely broken. They claimed to be quick with repairs before signing our lease.
They also told us our gas(stove) was provided by Con Edison. This was also inaccurate as it's provided by National Grid, so we didn't have cooking gas the first week. They didn't even know which company provides gas in our apartment. These were all of our issues in just the first week. We also didn't have heat the entire winter and the mouse problem continued in the winter because there was a giant hole behind our dishwasher. I had to pick out my own exterminator for them to get, because they were too incompetent to choose a good one. Once we got a good one to visit, he figured out the problem. They just wanted to use their same recycle bin exterminator that just laid out useless traps, rather than go for the root of the problem. We provided numerous images of our temperature reader showing that it was well below 63 degrees in our apartment for basically the majority of the winter, most days at around 59-61 degrees!
I basically worked remotely every day running space heaters. They also refused to offer us a rent abatement even though we paid rent all winter and they said they were quick with repairs and sent plumbers to fix the leaking radiators and heat whenever we reported an issue. The plumbers they sent over were absolutely useless. Complete Garbage. They all belonged in the trash bin, they basically did nothing to fix any of the issues with the heat to truly resolve it. Benchmark was completely lost on how to handle this issue. We had radiators leaking rusty water all winter and no heat the entire winter!!! They still haven't given us an abatement and said we're the only tenants complaining in the building.
This was completely proven wrong as I talked with other tenants in the building and they've all been complaining as much as us. They also have the same issues(leaking radiators, no heat, rodents or roaches), etc. They also plan to raise some of the tenants rents for a lease renewal even with all of these massive issues.
Also, our building doesn't even have a super anymore. He has not been seen by anyone in months. No one is doing repairs in the building anymore essentially, so we're pretty much stuck doing repairs on our own at this point if something breaks.
The list goes on and on and on. I can even provide a whole timeline if needed, feel free to DM me if you want. I just wanted to provide this info to help anyone out that's looking to rent, please avoid the hell out of this landlord.
Lastly, I did my research and Benchmark Management isn't even a real company. It's just a front for a design company called (H.F. Design). Benchmark Management is probably just their google voice number, so this whole thing is basically just one big giant SCAM.
Landlords like this are a big reason why hard working people are sadly leaving this city in droves, because they just get beaten down, gaslit and can't deal with the bull**** at some point. Enough is enough. I just wanted to make this known, so we can take down horrible people like this and make this city better.
DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY.
Addresses of their buildings:
181 MacDougal Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11233
872 Macon Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11233
395 Woodbine Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11237
226 East Third Street, Manhattan, NY, 10009
1644 Madison Avenue, Manhattan, NY, 10029
1) Don't live in Brooklyn
2) Don't Live in Manhattan
3) Stay Away From Pre-Wars
4) Don't Live in Staten Island
5) Check HPD records prior to signing lease
6) Survey the building and ask existing tenants for several months prior to signing lease
7) Don't Live in the Bronx
8) Get 3-4 Tenant Lawyers on speed dial prior to signing any lease just in case
9) Make friends with plumbers, exterminators and repairmen if you plan on continuing to live here
10) Don't live in NYC
But seriously, 90% of my friends who have rats and no heat live in Brooklyn. It is the geography and ratio of homes to apartment complexes that is part of the pest problem.
Also Pre-Wars are just continuing to get older and older. The rents on many of these are already approaching what I pay for my building built in 2010. They either need to gut renovate or demolish these buildings entirely. In Queens this will be an easier task than Brooklyn...
1) Don't live in Brooklyn
2) Don't Live in Manhattan
3) Stay Away From Pre-Wars
4) Don't Live in Staten Island
5) Check HPD records prior to signing lease
6) Survey the building and ask existing tenants for several months prior to signing lease
7) Don't Live in the Bronx
8) Get 3-4 Tenant Lawyers on speed dial prior to signing any lease just in case
9) Make friends with plumbers, exterminators and repairmen if you plan on continuing to live here
10) Don't live in NYC
But seriously, 90% of my friends who have rats and no heat live in Brooklyn. It is the geography and ratio of homes to apartment complexes that is part of the pest problem.
Also Pre-Wars are just continuing to get older and older. The rents on many of these are already approaching what I pay for my building built in 2010. They either need to gut renovate or demolish these buildings entirely. In Queens this will be an easier task than Brooklyn...
We live in NYC it’s almost impossible to not live in an area that doesn’t have mice or roaches. Even Madonna who is rich and famous has mice in her expensive home in Manhattan. I agree with checking the HPD website. It’s all about management and if they do a good job at following through with complaints that are made.
You should report them to the city, the mayor, and even the news channel. This is crazy! if you have a signed lease and proof of text messages and receipts stating everything you just mentioned, you can even take them to a small claims court to sue for your money back. For a small claims court you don't need a lawyer and it usually only costs ($15).
We live in NYC it’s almost impossible to not live in an area that doesn’t have mice or roaches. Even Madonna who is rich and famous has mice in her expensive home in Manhattan. I agree with checking the HPD website. It’s all about management and if they do a good job at following through with complaints that are made.
Area yes, but there is no excuse for vermin of any sort inside buildings. Occasional sighting of roaches, water bugs or even odd mouse is one thing. But when it has become a chronic infestation, that speaks to poor building management.
In best run buildings extermination is pro active. Exterminator comes each week and tenants issues are addressed at once. Exterminator will examine basements and cellars for vermin activity and take proper precaution or other measures.
Huge problem in NYC is often tenants themselves are nasty, and or won't allow exterminator in to do what needs to be done. People running game or otherwise up to something inside their apartment won't let LL or any of his representatives (such as exterminator) in apartment. If things get bad enough and LL needs to press issue his only recourse is housing court.
Call 311 whenever you have a problem that's not addressed adequately and yes, the city will send an inspector. A complaint will also be lodged against the building on the DOB website.
Area yes, but there is no excuse for vermin of any sort inside buildings. Occasional sighting of roaches, water bugs or even odd mouse is one thing. But when it has become a chronic infestation, that speaks to poor building management.
In best run buildings extermination is pro active. Exterminator comes each week and tenants issues are addressed at once. Exterminator will examine basements and cellars for vermin activity and take proper precaution or other measures.
Huge problem in NYC is often tenants themselves are nasty, and or won't allow exterminator in to do what needs to be done. People running game or otherwise up to something inside their apartment won't let LL or any of his representatives (such as exterminator) in apartment. If things get bad enough and LL needs to press issue his only recourse is housing court.
I understand. I was speaking specifically to who I responded to who basically said to not live in any borough in nyc lol. Regardless of which part of nyc you live in you will experience something. I was not responding to the person who posted about their horrible experience
We live in NYC it’s almost impossible to not live in an area that doesn’t have mice or roaches. Even Madonna who is rich and famous has mice in her expensive home in Manhattan. I agree with checking the HPD website. It’s all about management and if they do a good job at following through with complaints that are made.
I have never seen a mouse or roach in my current Manhattan apartment - and I’ve lived in it for almost five years - the building is very well maintained. I think it’s an issue of how much care the landlord actually puts into the building.
I agree with @stormgal. I'm living in a pre-war building in Manhattan and have never seen a mouse or roach since I moved here. I used to have a little mouse friend in my old Brooklyn apartment tho (had a bedbug issue too!) :/ The old super was a nice guy but I hardly saw him working... On the other hand, the current super is a very hard-working guy and he even cleans every doorknob and vacuums the floor every other day. I can't say he's a friendly guy but he's definitely the best super I've ever seen... also the landlord sends an exterminator regularly which is I've never experienced in the old BK apartment.
Last edited by lenoxhill_cat; 05-15-2022 at 12:33 PM..
I have never seen a mouse or roach in my current Manhattan apartment - and I’ve lived in it for almost five years - the building is very well maintained. I think it’s an issue of how much care the landlord actually puts into the building.
Yes maintenance makes all the difference. I’ve 100% seen rats just roaming around the streets of Manhattan so I’m sure there are a few in some apartments lol . Was just saying in general that these things are common- unfortunately
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