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I have been in my rent stabilized studio rental for 5 years. It has most likely vinyl(not sure what they are made of technically) big square tiles, a few of which were not totally aligned when i moved in
i put a throw carpet over the hallway tiles and 2 tiles have loosened probably from the dry air in the apt and the pressure from the throw carpet
in the kitchen several tiles are either bubbling up where the floor meets the stove, loosening or going on the diagonal away from where they were
i am currently preparing to clean the tiles as i am doing a massive cleaning job on the apt
can the landlord claim my lack of cleaning the tiles frequently is responsible for their loosening?
to me, they are pretty cheap looking and appear to be simply some kind of covering to the floor underneath (underneath is hardwood but it's of a much darker color than the hardwood in the living area)
to me, it's the cheapness of the tiles, dryness of the air in the apt and normal wear and tear that's doing it
i would like to ask for the bad tiles to be re-glued but a few are cracked and cannot be repaired.
I don't know the state in which you live but in general, the landlord is responsible for fixing loose floors (no tripping hazard at all should be present). Since it is a rent stabilized unit, I would not count on any cosmetic improvements.
but I don't understand the second sentence. In the first you mention that the LL should be responsible to fix a tripping hazard, in the second you mention no cosmetic improvements
but I don't understand the second sentence. In the first you mention that the LL should be responsible to fix a tripping hazard, in the second you mention no cosmetic improvements
are tiles considered cosmetic improvements?
Good Question...
Flooring that presents tripping hazard falls under safety.
Flooring that is unsightly, old or out of style is not a safety issue because these are cosmetic or appearance issue.
but I don't understand the second sentence. In the first you mention that the LL should be responsible to fix a tripping hazard, in the second you mention no cosmetic improvements
are tiles considered cosmetic improvements?
If they are loose, it is a hazard. If they don't match, are scratched, or otherwise blemished, that is cosmetic.
There should not be a hazard of any kind, in this case a tripping hazard. As far as cosmetic improvements, owners of rent stabilized or rent controlled units have less incentive to keep you there because the stabilized price (presumably) already does.
but in the event i leave (not planning to but if i did leave) can't they turn around and charge me for the tiles being off when i leave?
if i complain they're unsightly they might tell me to just reglue them? i don't care about the ones that are a little crooked but secure but there are tiles that are totally off or broken
anything i can do about them? how much do the big square vinyl tiles cost?
Going back to Post#2, get the landlord in there. He will probably just fix it. Unfortunately I got off on a tangent trying to make a point that the landlord will fix the safety issue but may not care about the cosmetic issue.
See if they're self-stick (sticky on the underside) If they are, get a blow dryer on low heat setting and just sit for awhile moving the blower over them to soften them up. Take a rolling pin or a wine bottle and roll that around on the tiles til the adhere again. (Make sure there is no dirty/grease or anything wet around the seams before you start.)
This is a temporary fix, but can reduce trip hazzard or any chips in those tiles.
if i present the loose tiles as a tripping hazard(as opposed to aesthetic) i will get better service!!
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I'm in NY City
