Lately I've been sleeping during the day, so things have been relatively quiet.
I find that getting up after midnight and reading Internet news and blogs, then writing and/or compiling material for future posts allows me to really focus without a lot of distractions. The down side is that it's hard to get normal things done that can't be done at night.
I'm trying to avoid being awake during the day and evening when my neighbor has friends over that have crying babies and unruly young children.
Unfortunately the young guy upstairs has odd hours and does things that literally shake my apartment frequently. There's one part of his floor that if he walks heavily it rattles some pipes in my ceiling. And when he gets out of his recliner it's like something hit the building. Many nights (around 2 AM) when he returns (from work?) it's like he has a full 'sea-bag' and throws it on the floor.
Doing this, knowing that he's disturbing me greatly, shows such a lack of respect and utter contempt for me and management.
Yet it continues with no end in sight....
Ah the joys of living in a sagging old hotel with thin carpets (with no padding underneath) and tile flooring.
Hey at least there's no kid riding his Big Wheel up and down the hallways yelling "redrum!", right?
All kidding aside, it makes my quality of life intolerable at times, and the worst part is that no one seems to care enough to do anything to fix it. For someone who suffers from chronic depression this is anything but helpful.
As I write this he's banging around over my head, literally shaking me in my chair at times, showing an absolute lack of respect for me and the management.
As far as the Endicott and the issues I've written about in past postings, nothing has changed at all. January 3rd when I took my rent check up to the MB management office one of the maintenance men was there and I asked him for the screen for one of my windows. It was taken by one of the maintenance guys from Hodges (the previous management company) when my air conditioner went in. He said that he'd have to look for it and would be over sometime that afternoon. He asked for, and I gave him permission to enter my apartment if I wasn't there. I returned from my errands around 5 PM but saw no evidence that he'd been there, and no screen. There was no note, and no communication to date regarding the status of my screen.
MB also has a list of repairs that need to be done in my apartment, not the least of which is the bathroom ventilation system that was messed up when the company "Energy Improvements" installed new bathroom light/fans and kitchen ceiling lights in all the apartments . The fan pretty much has to run 24/7 or the cigarette fumes from my neighbors fill my apartment.
[None of the other repairs are 'emergency' repairs.]
Not a single word has been communicated to me about this or any of the other concerns I brought up to our new property manager.
And zero communication regarding the upstairs neighbor who's received 3-5 written warnings/complaints, and as far as I know still won't answer his door for management (or me), and still refuses to contact the office as requested. Yet he's still living here and hasn't been served with any papers as far as I know. And I haven't been contacted regarding it either. All the communication has been instigated by me.
The building is still dirty and dingy, nothing being cleaned other than a quick vacuum once a week. The entry ways have the same dirt they've had on them for years. The walls get painted once in a while, and I don't think they've ever been washed in between paintings.
The exterior paint has needed scraping and new paint for years, especially the two doorways on the side of the building. Of course since there's multiple owners of different parts of the building it's that much harder to coordinate things like that. I hear that the other owner (besides CATCH) has been trying to get a grant or something from the historical preservation folks and/or the city to pay for external renovations.
In the mean time what would be a beautiful former hotel sits here neglected and uncared for. Now that I think about it, I'm feeling pretty neglected too.
Hey there,
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain, annoyance and am totally relating to your sense of feeling like Management is neglecting your needs (and in my opinion, our RIGHTS).
Maintenance was by my apartment about January 4th. The guy seems to think that the cigarette stench might actually be clogged drains.
How is that possible?
He said that he'd be back with some drain cleaner soon.
He has not yet been back to clean the drains.
I did purchase some Liquid Plumber and tried that in the bathroom drains. The smell still remains and is as bad.
In addition, the tub is now not draining properly. When I run the water, it fills up and does not drain for several minutes.
This maintenance guy said he was an electrician for 15 years... not sure how that means he's right about the drains though.
I think it's just an excuse to make me wait more for them to fix the ventilation issue.
Did I tell you that Kathy (MB management's Manager) physically came by my apartment?
Kathy, came by my apartment on the evening of Friday December 28, 2007 around 6:40pm. She physically handed me a letter from your company stating that I was in violation of my lease by posting letters on people’s doors. She also stated that she had consulted with a lawyer regarding the issue. Kathy said that residents had complained to MB Management about me leaving notes on their doors.
The letter from MB Management uses #13 of our lease which states:
“No interference with quiet enjoyment of other tenant: The tenant shall not engage in or permit members of the household or guest to engage in any activity which threatens or disrupts the health, safety, or peaceful, quiet enjoyment of other tenants of the property or otherwise unreasonably disturbs other tenants. The tenant understands that the landlord will not tolerate conduct which adversely affects the quality of life of other tenants and that the landlord will pursue immediate eviction in the event of such conduct.”
Kathy said that these "letters" were the "Trash Club" signs that I left on people's doors attempting to start a "Trash Club" to help people take out their trash during the week.
Kathy told me that if I did not remove the signs from the doors then I would face eviction.
I think the call(s) about "letters" were in fact those I sent to the 3 people in the building, regarding their harrassment of me and my request that they leave me and my dog alone.
I do understand that me leaving them (non intimidating) notes on their doors could be seen as an "impedement on the peaceful enjoyment of their lives." However, I do not see how "Trash Club" signs have any negative effect on a person.
I doubt that anyone complained about the “Trash Club.” When I asked Kathy, she neglected to tell me if the complaints were regarding the letters on those 4 peoples doors or specifically the Trash Club signs.
Since her visit, I have sent Kathy/MB Management a letter stating my side and again stating the issues they are not addressing regarding maintenance and their attitudes towards us residents.
I have also since sent several letters to CATCH explaining ALL of the above issues and more to them and sending them copies of letters/signs that I've posted and letters that I've sent to MB Management.
I'm not sure what else to do here.
I feel like MB Managment doesn't care about our needs and neither does CATCH.
If no one cares, how can we be heard?
All I can say is that you should get it clarified as to the exact source of your infraction so as not to repeat it in the future. The best thing to do is sit down and discuss it with management. The rules are there for everyone's benefit (IF they're enforced) and you have to be aware of them. Talking to management prior to your actions could have prevented this hassle.
ReplyDeleteIt does makes me wonder what would happen if you chose not to answer your door and ignored management like my upstairs neighbor has for so long. It's been months and months and he's *apparently* getting away with it (at least I haven't been advised differently).
The last time [I inquired] he had failed to respond to any letters, wouldn't answer his door, and the phone number he gave management had been disconnected.
In direct contrast to that behavior, the *very first day* I moved in here I went to my neighbors on both sides, above and below, telling them to please let me know if I bother them in any way, and over the past 5 years I've continued to query them periodically. AFAIK, it's the height of selfishness and disrespect to *make* others listen to loud music, TV, yelling, or anything else that disrupts their peace beyond what is reasonable.
[I'm] guilty of ranting out loud sometimes, sometimes at the TV, and other times when I'm disturbed or angry. If I'm disturbing any of my neighbors I expect to hear about it. I'll apologize and do my best not to let it happen again.
As far as your 'Trash' idea, that might be an idea you could have brought to CATCH for possible inclusion in the newsletter or through the Outreach group!
I can't speak to the potential source of the fumes in your apartment, but mine are from cigarettes. At times they're cooking odors, and other times a combination of 'bathroom' odors and cigarettes (if catch my drift..).
I don't mind the cooking smells, but even though [for some reason] it's not "illegal" (yet) for noxious tobacco fumes to spread to my apartment it's not right either. The situation should have been addressed and corrected by Hodges Management a long time ago, well before MB Management took over!
As I've written many times before, there was no problem before the bathroom fans were replaced by "Energy Improvements" company. Prior to that the ventilation system worked fine and the fumes and odors didn't spread to other apartments. Why the company responsible for the problem hasn't been held accountable and made to repair their mistake is strange to say the least. It also leads me to question how much CATCH really cares about the health and welfare of the residents here at the Endicott. I think Rule #13 you referenced could realistically apply to this situation specifically as far as "Health & Safety", and "Quality of life".
As this issue has been ignored by "The Landlord" (and it's representatives) for so long, it certainly represents a breach in their responsibility to protect their tenants. You'd think that they (and their legal advisers) would give that serious consideration.
Finally, I hope that management realizes that the rules/lease is a two way street. We're expected to abide by the rules, and management has a responsibility to enforce them with due diligence, and also provide timely maintenance and care for the properties.
As far as me personally, I bend over backwards to hold up my end of that bargain, and I'd like to see that reciprocated by the management. It's only fair.
Also, I don't publish these issues to embarrass or in any way demean CATCH or their associates, but simply to raise awareness and effect needed change. I'm not looking for a defensive response, instead I'm hoping for a positive, understanding, and supportive one.
I just want a peaceful apartment with clean air to breathe. For far too long I've had neither.
Good luck, and take care.
TR