I am a rent-stabilized 1-BR on a 2-year renewal in a Manhattan pre-war walkup; most of the other units in the building are fair market leases.
New owners are proposing to re-wire the building: back side this summer, front side next summer. I have lived here 30 years. They want to re-wire my unit, meaning moving all my 30 years worth of stuff (bookshelves, furniture, more bookshelves, every wall is occupied) into the middle of the floors, break open the walls, etc.
They say they are doing this for safety purposes, though I have not had any electrical problems in my apartment, or in the building that I know of, in all this time. Of course, they will file for an MCI increase, and that is a separate issue. [They have already converted the oil burner to gas, and I have contested their MCI increase, and will post a separate topic for that.]
In this case, I am more concerned with what they are proposing to do to my apartment. This is going to be a MAJOR job, akin to moving. My possessions cannot just be 'moved' into the middle of the floor: bookshelves and entertainment units will have to be emptied before they can be moved. It will be like packing up for moving.
And, I must still live here, I do not have an alternate place to stay during the 2-3 weeks that they propose for completing this work. It's one thing to do this kind of renovation on a vacant apartment, but in a fully occupied unit, it will be a disaster zone.
My Question: Am I required to submit to this, or can I lawfully refuse to allow it?
Thank-you.
h.