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Posted by John on June 06, 2000 at 12:33:00:

In Reply to: electric bill too high, and super refuses access to the meter/circuit breakers and threatens posted by alex on June 02, 2000 at 22:45:36:

Well, first things first... Test to see if the line is either connected to the building utilities or in the supers apartment. Blow out the fuse in your apartment like you stated and have either a friend or a relative watch what the super does. Either the super will go down to the basement on his own (becasue his connection will be cut) or all the lights in the building will be shut off. Either way you will now know what is happening (it is a good idea if you know the supers home watching TV).

Withhold rent (yes, this will cause them to be angree with you). The purpose for all this is to get the landlords full name and address as well as the chance to document a statement you will make to a housing court jugde explaining why you are withholding the rent (ask for an inspector).

Then start an HP Action with the name or names on the non-payment case (pay the rent during this case) and in reference to your electrical probelms add any outstanding repairs to your apartment and building wide violations (mailboxes, staircases, fire escapes, licky roof). The additional violations will be ordered by a housing court judge to be fixed and if not fines will be imposed.

Will this stop the super from being at least civil with you? No. but if your paying rent and have a current lease agreement with the landlord then they must follow the housing court rules.

Buildings of six families of more is considered rent stablilized.

Good luck

: Hi everyone,

: My situation: a 2 bedroom, 1st floor, 50-60 years old 5 stories apratment building in Brooklyn.

: We are receiving really large electric bills from Con Edison, like $80 a month... One month the bill was $280 and when we complained to Con Edison, they sent the person to inspect the meter, and dropped it to $50 saying it was a "wrongful initial reading"...

: Nobody is at home during the day, and electricity is used only early in the morning (to watch some tv during the coffee) and during 7pm-12pm, with 2 lights, tv and a computer turned on.

: Now, we bought an air conditioner resently, but are unable to use it, because each time we turn it on, the fuse blows off immediatly in the basement somewhere...

: The super told us that we can hire ANY electrician to get the 2nd line installed specifically for the air conditioner, and that he'll let them into the basement to do the job, but when I actually made an appoitment with an electrician for tomorrow, and came to the super to ask him to be available tomorrow to let electrician into the basement, he changed his mind, telling that he'll let in no one, and that only one "authorized" electrician (whose phone he'll provide to me) can be allowed in the basement.

: Now, I really got angry with that, since I already made an appoitment, and super specifically told me before that I can hire whoever I want, ("just look up electrician in yellow pages" was exact quote), so I said that I going to utility company about this behavour...

: Then it got really bizzarre:

: "You just did the biggest mistake in your *bleeping* life"...
: "Don't want to be no friends?"
: "Do you know who the *** I am?"
: "you donno who you are messing with" etc...

: I also must add that our super-indendent has the appearence of the pussy personage from the sopranos, tho he is Yugoslavian I think, not Italian...

: Well, I backed off, but what can I do in this situation? I suspect that super has our line shared with his own apartment, or with someone else, but since he refuses anyone access to the basement where circuit breakes/meters are located, what are my options? I called Con Edison, and asked for them to send an inspector or such, but they told me that they wont do it, and I have to hire electrician myself to do the checkup, which again is impossible since super wont allow electrician into the basement...

: Also complaining to landlord seems will do no good, since super obsiously has his support, and laffs when I say that I gonna complain to the landlord, saying that I can complain all I want, but wont get anything...

: If you have any advise, or had a simular expirience, please respond in the forum...

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: Well, first things first... Test to see if the line is either connected to the building utilities or in the supers apartment. Blow out the fuse in your apartment like you stated and have either a friend or a relative watch what the super does. Either the super will go down to the basement on his own (becasue his connection will be cut) or all the lights in the building will be shut off. Either way you will now know what is happening (it is a good idea if you know the supers home watching TV). 

: Withhold rent (yes, this will cause them to be angree with you). The purpose for all this is to get the landlords full name and address as well as the chance to document a statement you will make to a housing court jugde explaining why you are withholding the rent (ask for an inspector).

: Then start an HP Action with the name or names on the non-payment case (pay the rent during this case) and in reference to your electrical probelms add any outstanding repairs to your apartment and building wide violations (mailboxes, staircases, fire escapes, licky roof). The additional violations will be ordered by a housing court judge to be fixed and if not fines will be imposed. 

: Will this stop the super from being at least civil with you? No. but if your paying rent and have a current lease agreement with the landlord then they must follow the housing court rules.

: Buildings of six families of more is considered rent stablilized.

: Good luck 

: : Hi everyone, 

: : My situation: a 2 bedroom, 1st floor, 50-60 years old 5 stories apratment building in Brooklyn.

: : We are receiving really large electric bills from Con Edison, like $80 a  month... One month the bill was $280 and when we complained to Con Edison, they sent the person to inspect the meter, and dropped it to $50 saying it was a "wrongful initial reading"...

: : Nobody is at home during the day, and electricity is used only early in the morning (to watch some tv during the coffee) and during 7pm-12pm, with 2 lights, tv and a computer turned on.

: : Now, we bought an air conditioner resently, but are unable to use it, because each time we turn it on, the fuse blows off immediatly in the basement somewhere... 

: : The super told us that we can hire ANY electrician to get the 2nd line installed specifically for the air conditioner, and that he'll let them into the basement to do the job, but when I actually made an appoitment with an electrician for tomorrow, and came to the super to ask him to be available tomorrow to let electrician into the basement, he changed his mind, telling that he'll let in no one, and that only one "authorized" electrician (whose phone he'll provide to me) can be allowed in the basement.

: : Now, I really got angry with that, since I already made an appoitment, and super specifically told me before that I can hire whoever I want, ("just look up electrician in yellow pages" was exact quote), so I said that I going to utility company about this behavour... 

: : Then it got really bizzarre:

: : "You just did the biggest mistake in your *bleeping* life"...
: : "Don't want to be no friends?" 
: : "Do you know who the *** I am?"
: : "you donno who you are messing with" etc... 

: : I also must add that our super-indendent has the appearence of the pussy personage from the sopranos, tho he is Yugoslavian I think, not Italian...

: : Well, I backed off, but what can I do in this situation? I suspect that super has our line shared with his own apartment, or with someone else, but since he refuses anyone access to the basement where circuit breakes/meters are located, what are my options? I called Con Edison, and asked for them to send an inspector or such, but they told me that they wont do it, and I have to hire electrician myself to do the checkup, which again is impossible since super wont allow electrician into the basement...

: : Also complaining to landlord seems will do no good, since super obsiously has his support, and laffs when I say that I gonna complain to the landlord, saying that I can complain all I want, but wont get anything...

: : If you have any advise, or had a simular expirience, please respond in the forum...


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