Door intercom question (Hope: apartments, lease, coop)

[axxel6307]

Just moved into a co-op. We are not able to open the door from our intercom phone. It rings, and we can speak thru it and ask who is there, but when we hit the button to let them in, it does make that buzzing noise but the door fails to open. We know other apartments intercoms do work.

Is there anything I can try myself like replacing the phone? The phone it currently has literally has only one button. Where would I even find a phone like that, or can I use a normal toutchtone phone with regular buttons?

Is this something the super should fix?

Thanks

[Henna]

The super should fix this. I live in a coop and whenever there is anything wrong with the buzzer/intercom, I call the super and he has to fix it. I have had problems about once every two years with the buzzer system. One time he did have to replace the phone unit.

[axxel6307]

Thanks Hennah. Does it make a difference whether one rents or owns the co-op whether it's the supers responsibility? And do you mean he replaces the phone in your apartment or in the lobby?

Obviously if it's a problem in the lobby system it's their job to fix. Im just not sure if they are responsible for fixing it in our apartment.

[Henna]

Originally Posted by axxel6307

Thanks Hennah. Does it make a difference whether one rents or owns the co-op whether it's the supers responsibility? And do you mean he replaces the phone in your apartment or in the lobby?

Obviously if it's a problem in the lobby system it's their job to fix. Im just not sure if they are responsible for fixing it in our apartment.

I am not sure it makes a difference to own or rent, but I don't think so. (I'm an owner.) Yes, he replaced the intercom phone inside my unit. It's a building-wide system and the phone is part of that. That's my view, anyway. Hope it works out for you.

Do you have a lease or house rules you can read? If you are renter, you could contact the owner of the unit.

[axxel6307]

We own too. I think I'll try putting a regular phone on it just to see what happens.

[Kefir King]

axxel,
If you push the button and it buzzes but doesn't open the door, then the connection is okay but the lock is sticking. Tell super to lubricate the lock and then if it still doesn't work, to replace the mechanism on the front door.

A possibility is that your button is making poor contact not allowing enough electricity to operate the solenoid lock. In that case you would need to get under the button and clean the contact with some abrasive.