Hello! My wife and I recently bought our first place, a 1 bedroom coop in the bronx, and we are attempting to renovate. During our interview the board assured us we could do anything except erect walls (within reason of course). Since we just needed to redo the floor, take down a frame wall (that has been taken down in other units) and get rid of illegal wiring that was done by previous tenants we... [more]
Hello!
My wife and I recently bought our first place, a 1 bedroom coop in the bronx, and we are attempting to renovate. During our interview the board assured us we could do anything except erect walls (within reason of course). Since we just needed to redo the floor, take down a frame wall (that has been taken down in other units) and get rid of illegal wiring that was done by previous tenants we thought that we would be done in no time. Most general contractors we met with said the work would take about 5 days.
After six weeks we still haven't been able to get our application into the hands of the board due to the management company. They won't return calls, let days (sometimes weeks!) pass before responding with a request for more info on something that they "ok'd" two weeks ago. In general, have been rude and completely un-helpful.
My question is : what recourse do I have here? We have everything the management company has asked for (fully insured and licensed Contractors and Electricians, and the proofs that they requested), but still they have not submitted it to the board. We have changed contractors to someone who has done work in the building, removed the request to lower the remove the wall, and have bent over backwards to accommodate them. We can't afford to wait any longer, and our patience has worn very thin. 6 weeks is an insanely long time for this process to take, is it not? Or have I just been driven insane by it...?
Can I submit my package to the board directly? I guess thats what I want to know. Or any advice people have would be greatly appreaciated.
Thank you!
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Response by 300_mercer
almost 6 years ago
Posts: 10539
Member since: Feb 2007
Find the senior most person at the management company and call them a couple of times.
Write a letter to the board members. Explaining the issue.
Curious which management company?
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Response by 30yrs_RE_20_in_REO
almost 6 years ago
Posts: 9876
Member since: Mar 2009
If you forget about everything else (which I won't argue seems to have been mishandled) , this time of year I'm not sure getting anything of any kind through a Coop Board could 6 weeks always be "insane."
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Response by George
almost 6 years ago
Posts: 1327
Member since: Jul 2017
As if summer is any better, when the Board decamps to their beach houses from May to Sept. Don't buy in a coop!
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Response by stache
almost 6 years ago
Posts: 1292
Member since: Jun 2017
Great advice if you can afford it. I had a similar problem. I wrote a letter to the president of my board. Within a week our building manager was replaced and everything went smoothly. Previously I had my lawyer trying to assist but it did not help.
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Response by RockMike
almost 6 years ago
Posts: 2
Member since: Aug 2015
Thanks for your comments, knowing that there are others who have experienced this is a little comforting in its own way. Though I am sorry it happened to anyone!
We are dealing with the president of the management company directly: everything has to pass through him. We were making some headway last week only to receive an automatic reply from his email saying he would be gone for ten days. No advance notice of his vacation, no warning. Just another 10 day wait out of the blue.
We will be writing to our board in the next day or so. We fully realize that the extra hurdle of doing this over the holidays is a pain, but hey, we do not have a choice. I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks and Happy Holidays!
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Response by manhatta
almost 6 years ago
Posts: 41
Member since: Nov 2013
Sorry to hear about your troubles. Depending on the management agency, things can move rapidly or very slowly. As a general rule, you are prone to encounter delays this time of year. Based on your updated response, it sounds like things are finally starting to move forward. Congratulations on your recent purchase and welcome to the beautiful Bronx.
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Find the senior most person at the management company and call them a couple of times.
Write a letter to the board members. Explaining the issue.
Curious which management company?
If you forget about everything else (which I won't argue seems to have been mishandled) , this time of year I'm not sure getting anything of any kind through a Coop Board could 6 weeks always be "insane."
As if summer is any better, when the Board decamps to their beach houses from May to Sept. Don't buy in a coop!
Great advice if you can afford it. I had a similar problem. I wrote a letter to the president of my board. Within a week our building manager was replaced and everything went smoothly. Previously I had my lawyer trying to assist but it did not help.
Thanks for your comments, knowing that there are others who have experienced this is a little comforting in its own way. Though I am sorry it happened to anyone!
We are dealing with the president of the management company directly: everything has to pass through him. We were making some headway last week only to receive an automatic reply from his email saying he would be gone for ten days. No advance notice of his vacation, no warning. Just another 10 day wait out of the blue.
We will be writing to our board in the next day or so. We fully realize that the extra hurdle of doing this over the holidays is a pain, but hey, we do not have a choice. I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks and Happy Holidays!
Sorry to hear about your troubles. Depending on the management agency, things can move rapidly or very slowly. As a general rule, you are prone to encounter delays this time of year. Based on your updated response, it sounds like things are finally starting to move forward. Congratulations on your recent purchase and welcome to the beautiful Bronx.
Richard
http://www.manhatta.net