Description
We have had no heat for over a week. It is so cold, especially at night, that we have to run electric heaters, which not only is dangerous, but it runs up our electricity bills. I had to buy my kids cold weather sleeping bags to sleep in at night. Since I refuse to run the electric heaters while no one is home, my pets suffer all day from when I leave for work to when I get home. I feel so bad for my parrot and I pray that she doesn't get sick because avian medicine is so expensive. This happens year after year after year. Just take a search on this website and you will see what I am talking about. Why can't anything be done? How does our landlord keep getting away with this year after year? His restaurant, Mussels & More, on the ground floor of the building is warm and well kept, while we are suffering every day and night. Our landlord goes home to a nice, warm, house every night and we have no other choice but to freeze, pay high electric bills, and be miserable. On top of all that, we pay $2,000 a month for our apartment. Add in the electric bills and we are paying close to $2,500 for our apartment, per month - in Bay Ridge! And we have been in this same apartment for a little over 10 years. And for what? For he can pocket the money instead of turning on the heat??
I put in a service request with 311 on January 27th (Service Request #: C1-1-1205806742). After a few days, the status was "The Department of Housing Preservation and Development contacted an occupant of the apartment or building and verified that the complaint was resolved.". But it wasn't resolved. In fact, no inspector even came. The slip in the lobby that the inspectors fill out when they come was not even filled in. And so, we have been freezing all this time. I put in another 311 service request today (C1-1-1210592532) - hopefully someone will actually come this time.
Vincent Gentile, our councilman, is located practically across the street - please sir, if you see this - please come help us.
10 Comments
NOHEAT (Guest)
NOHEAT (Guest)
8018 5th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11209 District Office Phone 718-748-5200
ALSO if your building is Rent stabilized (6 units or more) then you should give call the Tenant Protection unit 718 739 6400. Other options include a rent reduction for lack of basic services by taking your landlord to Court at Jay Street.
NOHEAT (Guest)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
1) I leave work before Gentile's office is open and by the time I leave work and commute back to Bay Ridge, his office is closed. I generally work between 50 and 60 hours a week, Monday thru Friday. When I finally get a day off on the weekends, I like to spend 100% of it with my kids. That is why I post here. So that the notification goes out to him. But if all I am going to get is attitude, then what is the point? Obviously, I am already stressed by the heat situation. The least I can get is a civil response to my issue.
2) We are not rent stabilized. It wouldn't help us personally to take him to court. We are broke enough already, can't take time off, and we would rather not put up with the harassment and attitude. We see our landlord sitting in his nice warm restaurant every day and when approached with any issue, we either get excuses or we get attitude. Our building probably has the highest turnover of tenants in all of Bay Ridge.
3) How can we move? On what money? We pay $450 electric bills each month on top of a $2,000 rent. Some of us don't have that luxury of just picking up and moving. We try our best to keep our heads above the water in this city. When we moved here, our rent was affordable. Now, it's increased yearly to where we are trapped.
John Mancuso (Guest)
This is John Mancuso Councilman Gentile's Chief of Staff. You may email our office or call. My email is jmancuso@council.nyc.gov or you may call 718-748-5200.
This is the first time we are seeing this.
noheat (Guest)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
It's_just_me (Registered User)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
TENANTPOWER (Registered User)