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I just moved into a new building in a safe area of Brooklyn near Park Slope, but I've discovered that one or more of the tenants leaves the front door unlocked pretty consistently. There is a children's day school business on the first floor of the otherwise residential building that may be the culprit- at least during the day. At night it seems like someone usually locks it but I've come home at 2AM and the door has been open. We have both a metal grate door and an inner wooden one- the grate is always open, and I was only given a key to the main front door.
Despite the fact that it's one of the most safe areas I've come across in Brooklyn, I really do not feel safe knowing that anyone can enter the building during the day and occasionally at night. I'm a musician and due to this I need to know my instruments are protected when I'm not there by more than just my (actually easy to pick) deadbolt. I'm on the second floor and it feels like I'm a target if someone gets in with any bad ideas.
Everything else about the place is secure including the alarm system that was already installed in my unit... I don't know what to do and I'm going to call my landlord tomorrow and tell him but somehow I feel like he probably knows as his son lives in the 5 unit building as well.
The metal grate door should always have a swing close mechanism so that the careless people leaving doors open won't put other people and property at risk. You say there is a wooden door, too and this is the front door and they leave that open as well - if they leave this door open it won't be as dangerous if there is the closed metal grate, but you can't have both the gate and front door open as that is like a visual invitation to thieves and other people with bad intentions. Say something to the landlord or better yet write a letter (better than calling) stating your concerns and also the idea for a automatic closing metal grate. Do not make the letter sound like a complaint letter but keep your tone friendly and maybe say that it is in his interest, too. Landlords worry about the safety of their tenants; if not, they should be worried especially in these litigious times.
The metal grate seems to never be locked, and even when I push it completely closed from the outside there is no automatic locking function. It's so bizarre that this is an issue, as the landlord takes otherwise impeccable care of the place- when I asked about a clogged tub he came in personally and took the entire mechanism apart to resolve it as apparently the last tenant just sort of lived with it and never said anything. Hopefully he is as attentive to someone finally complaining about what I'm finding is actually an illegal state of a front door... I feel like/hope it's just that the other tenants never really feel unsafe enough to mention it.... This is a bad situation for someone as paranoid as I am....
I just went downstairs and dead bolted it from the inside. No one else seems to bother.
He sounds like a responsive landlord when you brought up the tub. I don't understand why the other tenants haven't said anything, but it's not paranoid to worry about a obvious safety issue. Maybe the other tenants have no experience living in the city, especially in the less safe areas and think they have nothing to worry about since the building is in a good area. For your own sense of security, and also you don't want to have to be the doorkeeper, mention your feelings to the landlord. Yes, he put an alarm system in your place, but the security system of the entire building is only as strong as the weakest link and that is the front door and grate. If he knows about this issue, I don't understand why he hasn't done anything about it for his own peace of mind, if not the tenants. It could be illegal like you said, too and also if anyone is robbed or hurt the security of the door will be an issue.
I just moved into a new building in a safe area of Brooklyn near Park Slope, but I've discovered that one or more of the tenants leaves the front door unlocked pretty consistently. There is a children's day school business on the first floor of the otherwise residential building that may be the culprit- at least during the day. At night it seems like someone usually locks it but I've come home at 2AM and the door has been open. We have both a metal grate door and an inner wooden one- the grate is always open, and I was only given a key to the main front door.
Despite the fact that it's one of the most safe areas I've come across in Brooklyn, I really do not feel safe knowing that anyone can enter the building during the day and occasionally at night. I'm a musician and due to this I need to know my instruments are protected when I'm not there by more than just my (actually easy to pick) deadbolt. I'm on the second floor and it feels like I'm a target if someone gets in with any bad ideas.
Everything else about the place is secure including the alarm system that was already installed in my unit... I don't know what to do and I'm going to call my landlord tomorrow and tell him but somehow I feel like he probably knows as his son lives in the 5 unit building as well.
By law the door to all residential apartment buildings must have self locking doors. This is unless there is a full time attendant in lobby. Landlords have been sued and hefty judgment awards given to tenants who were victims of crimes where the perpetrator entered via an "unlocked" lobby door and it could be proven property owner knew such a condition existed. Recall years ago a woman was raped in the Village (IIRC) by someone who gained entry into her building via an unlocked lobby door. Turns out she and other residents had complained about the door previously and thus she was able to win her lawsuit.
Then there is the question of operating a business in a residential zoned business is even legal. You can call 311 to report that issue. The day care is supposed to have a license; if it does not.....
By all means contact your LL and also follow-up with a letter if possible. You want to go on record reporting the issue which hopefully should put a fire under the LL.
Over the years we have had various tenants prop open or otherwise interfere with the self locking lobby door. A few calls to the LL and or sicking our building's super fixed that.
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