Owner that damaged my apartment picking contractor
Started by uzi900
about 7 years ago
Posts: 9
Member since: Jun 2011
Discussion about
Hi everyone, I'm in a co-op. About a month ago, the bathroom in the apartment above our bathroom had a leak. My bathroom ceiling (which was renovated less than a year ago) was significantly damaged by the water and the super pulling down more of it to identify where the leak was. There was no other damage in the bathroom. The owner of the apartment above us dragged her feet every step of the way.... [more]
Hi everyone,
I'm in a co-op. About a month ago, the bathroom in the apartment above our bathroom had a leak. My bathroom ceiling (which was renovated less than a year ago) was significantly damaged by the water and the super pulling down more of it to identify where the leak was. There was no other damage in the bathroom.
The owner of the apartment above us dragged her feet every step of the way. It took over 2 weeks for a plumber to fix the leak and she was not responding to the managing agent about finding a contractor to repair the damage to our ceiling. I reached out to a few contractors for proposals and forwarded the ones that I liked to the managing agent to pass along to the owner.
This morning, the managing agent forwarded me an email from the owner saying that the contractor has been selected (it wasn't one of the ones that I picked). I'm not familiar with this contractor and do not even know what work they will do in our bathroom because the proposal wasn't included. I also have a feeling that the resident is paying out-of-pocket for the repairs and not through their insurance.
As the owner of the apartment that was damaged by their leak, am I required to use whatever contractor they offer to pay for? Since my bathroom was just gut renovated less than a year ago, I don't want some random person who is the cheapest that they found to work on it. I'm concerned about mold and I had the contractors that I requested proposals from include in their proposals that they will check for and correct any mold issues.
I'm using body work on a car that was in an accident as an analogy. If I damage someone's car, isn't the owner of that car allowed to use whatever body shop they would like as long as the maximum amount that my insurance will cover doesn't exceed the cost of the repairs?
Thank you very much in advance...
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Response by 300_mercer
about 7 years ago
Posts: 10539
Member since: Feb 2007
You need to go to your insurance who will claim it from the neighbor’s insurance. If your neighbor does not want you to file an insurance claim, they need to pay to make you happy.
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Response by uzi900
about 7 years ago
Posts: 9
Member since: Jun 2011
Thank you! I've pushed back on the managing agent.
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Response by 30yrs_RE_20_in_REO
about 7 years ago
Posts: 9876
Member since: Mar 2009
FWIW I agree with 300_mercer: why have insurance if you're not going to make claims and let them deal with the headaches? OTOH if you have lousy insurance you may find yourself with a different set of headaches plus a rate increase.
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Response by ximon
about 7 years ago
Posts: 1196
Member since: Aug 2012
Managing agent on behalf of coop board would clearly not want to see shoddy work done inside the walls. They may want to hire or approve their own contractor seeing this involves common areas.
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Response by Primer05
about 7 years ago
Posts: 2103
Member since: Jul 2009
You do not have to use anyone you do not want to. You can simply hire any contractor you want and have your insurance company deal with it.
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Response by uzi900
about 7 years ago
Posts: 9
Member since: Jun 2011
Thank you, everyone. I really appreciate everyone's thoughts and suggestions.
The contractor that the owner selected got very mixed reviews online. I've reached out to him to see the proposal (hoping to see the price and what the contractor plans on doing) and he didn't respond. I've told the managing agent that if he doesn't respond within the next 24 hours, I'm not even going to consider him because he's already demonstrating his horrible customer service. If 24 hours passes and there's no response, I'm going to reach out to my insurance company to begin the process of working with the owner's insurance company.
Thank you again! :)
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Response by Squid
about 7 years ago
Posts: 1399
Member since: Sep 2008
Yeah it should not be up to your neighbor to pick the contractor. Does your managing agent have anyone they do business with frequently who you could consider? Or do you have a trusted contractor you've used in the past? No way should you be forced to hire someone you don't trust. I agree with other posters that it may be time to hand this over to your insurance co.
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Response by kmbroker
about 7 years ago
Posts: 116
Member since: Jan 2008
I had the same situation in a bathroom once. The owner above me went to his insurance company who said that I needed to go to mine. (we both had Allstate so it was weird) anyway my insurance company sent an adjuster, I was given money and could choose my own contractor and they went after my upstairs neighbors insurance company. My insurance did not increase I don't know about his
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Response by kmbroker
about 7 years ago
Posts: 116
Member since: Jan 2008
I had the same thing happen in a coop I owned. My upstairs neighbor went to his insurance company and they said I had to go to mine, even though we both used Allstate. I went to mine, they sent an adjuster, they paid me. I was allowed to use whoever I wanted and my company went after the neighbors policy. My premium did not go up. I think his insurance company went after his contractors insurance
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You need to go to your insurance who will claim it from the neighbor’s insurance. If your neighbor does not want you to file an insurance claim, they need to pay to make you happy.
Thank you! I've pushed back on the managing agent.
FWIW I agree with 300_mercer: why have insurance if you're not going to make claims and let them deal with the headaches? OTOH if you have lousy insurance you may find yourself with a different set of headaches plus a rate increase.
Managing agent on behalf of coop board would clearly not want to see shoddy work done inside the walls. They may want to hire or approve their own contractor seeing this involves common areas.
You do not have to use anyone you do not want to. You can simply hire any contractor you want and have your insurance company deal with it.
Thank you, everyone. I really appreciate everyone's thoughts and suggestions.
The contractor that the owner selected got very mixed reviews online. I've reached out to him to see the proposal (hoping to see the price and what the contractor plans on doing) and he didn't respond. I've told the managing agent that if he doesn't respond within the next 24 hours, I'm not even going to consider him because he's already demonstrating his horrible customer service. If 24 hours passes and there's no response, I'm going to reach out to my insurance company to begin the process of working with the owner's insurance company.
Thank you again! :)
Yeah it should not be up to your neighbor to pick the contractor. Does your managing agent have anyone they do business with frequently who you could consider? Or do you have a trusted contractor you've used in the past? No way should you be forced to hire someone you don't trust. I agree with other posters that it may be time to hand this over to your insurance co.
I had the same situation in a bathroom once. The owner above me went to his insurance company who said that I needed to go to mine. (we both had Allstate so it was weird) anyway my insurance company sent an adjuster, I was given money and could choose my own contractor and they went after my upstairs neighbors insurance company. My insurance did not increase I don't know about his
I had the same thing happen in a coop I owned. My upstairs neighbor went to his insurance company and they said I had to go to mine, even though we both used Allstate. I went to mine, they sent an adjuster, they paid me. I was allowed to use whoever I wanted and my company went after the neighbors policy. My premium did not go up. I think his insurance company went after his contractors insurance