Super Responsibilities

Your question is a bit vague to answer. Details?

You mean what does the super repair inside your co-op apt?

The board and managing agent will say the building is only responsible for repairs inside the walls, from the wall out into your apt is your responsibility.
The pipe system is part of the inside the walls, so leaks, clogged drains are things he should fix especially since it can cause problems in surrounding apts.
He should investigate ventilation problems, gas line problems.

However the super will do/fix anything in the co-op board members' apts. that they ask for. Not that they will admit it.

e-mail your repair requests to the managing agent.

i have ceiling work and plaster problems because the radiator from the tenant upstairs was leaking. i'm a rental in a coop. is this something the super will take care of, or is it something i need to fix?

Thanks.....sma10022..just wanted to know what the day to day responsibilities are for a live in coop super .....and also, what are they not allowed to fix for shareholders...ie toilet backup, etc?

Truth.....if its basically clogged drains, leaks, etc.....is a fulltime live in super really busy or lots of down time?

I live in a large coop, 420 apartments, so we have a large staff. The Super manages them but is also 'hands on' as needed.
You have all your usual clogged drains etc but also monitoring of boiler, steam traps and other mechanicals. Our staff unclogs toilets, hangs mirrors/art, replaces lighting fixtures and outlets etc.
Some jobs are billed to the shareholder.
Hope this helps.

the super usually:
1 - manages the porters and helps them whenever necessary.
2 - ensures the boiler/water heater function properly.
3 - does minor/major repairs in apartments (depending on coop/rental the responsibilities can vary)
4 - does some cleaning that is outside the scope of the porters (shampooing rugs, waxing or scraping floors).
5 - calls in contractors to do plumbing/electric/elevator/etc that is beyond his abilities.

everything depends on the scope setup when they got the job.

The super vs. tenant responsibility is for what he does in your spt but not the entire building.
Supers deal with building renovation/repairs to the building.
Inspectors for elevators and other building inspections
Move-ins/move/outs
Emergencies (which is why a live-in super is better than one that leaves for the day/weekend/holiday and doesn't answer his cell-phone.)
If a resident drops dead in their apt, usually the super is called after they haven't been seen for awhile, relatives call for him to go up and check, neighbors say: "What stinks up here in the hall?"
They surpervise the staff
things like that.

They have a lot of downtime, as far as I have seen (and I'm home during the day)
the staff gets ordered by the super to do most things.

In some buildings the super will do what what ab and sma describe.
Those are in the buildings with good managers.

DO NOT ever allow the super to say : "well, that toilet, tub, (whatever) needs a plumber. I'll call the building's plumber to come in to fix it."

If it needs a plumber -- YOU call a plumber.
Because never mind the kickback the super receives from his friend the plumber, the managing agent will bill the cost of the repair back to you. It will be expensive. You won't know what the plumber did or did not do (unless you are home, even then, the super will back-up the charges saying those repairs/parts were needed and used.)

So if you can't be at home, at least get a friend to be there.

I find that if you tip the super, he will do just about anything and save you a lot of money rather then calling plumbers and electricians. In all the years we've been in live-in super condos and co-ops I can't ever recall having to call an outside service for standard repairs, like paint, plaster, clogged drains, replacing faucets, repairing the toilet mechanisisms, replacing interior doors, replacing bathroom ceilings, replacing switches, outlets, light fixturexs,replacing medicine cabinets, etc.

That's nice that you have a good super,RENY.

Tipping the super does not mean that he knows what he's doing.
and the op may find that other shareholders are not getting the same services.
That's not supposed to happen in a co-op.

It's better to call a real service pro. You are going to pay for it anyway.

RENY: replacing bathroom ceiling? Really?
Didn't that entail providing the managing agent with a signed form?
No? a ha!

Heck I've know supers who would put in full kitchens.

I guess its a great gig (if truly there is a lot of downtime) since many have 2 bedroom apts and decent salaries.....

RENY: That super of yours and the others who put in full kitchens (would? did they or not?) must have lots of downtime. Replacing a ceiling isn't a lunch-hour type of job.

The dogs in our building are out of control. Someone complained of dog poop on the stairwell being left there for 3 days. Is it the (live-in) super's responsibility to clean that up?

Yes. Either do it himself or have the porter do it.

On the other hand, a building where a tenant or owner lets a dog shit on the stairs gets the super it deserves.

Anonymous2013, what neighborhood is this in?

As economists are want to say, there are no bad people, only bad incentives. The reason a super can charge less than a tradesperson is because he has no transportation costs, rent overhead, taxes, etc. When a super acts as a contractor during normal business hours, he does so at the expense of the building's upkeep, devaluing the maintenance payments of the residents. There is no "downtime" for Manhattan buildings -- cleaning and sweeping and waxing and sidewalk washing, basement improvements, etc. etc. can and should be part of the management work scope and in their absence lurks malfeasance. Buildings should always be getting incrementally better, not deteriorating because of lack of forward thinking and acting. Too often, supers are incentivized by residents who dangle cash and don't realize how their neighbors are not being served. That the cash is less than a legitimate trade person makes it SUBSIDIZED by everyone's maintenance, especially hurting the residents on fixed incomes who can't afford upgrades..