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Loft- comm. lease doorbell law/req./statutes?

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Loft- comm. lease doorbell law/req./statutes?

Postby LoftCause » Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:33 am

Hey-

As usual only pending deadlines to sign a lease motivate me to finally reach out and sign up here. I've been living in a loft for 3 years and the lease is up for renewal.

My Landlord is raising my rent about 6% this year and has done nothing. He raised rent about 4% last year with a verbal (I know, stupid) promise that he'd look into getting a doorbell or intercom installed, mostly for getting deliveries as I work and live out of the apt and I'm in a 4th floor walk up with no intercom. Nothing happened, big surprise...

The LL has a new guy that I have to deal with this year/lease to get the lease signed and he's being very manipulative and to be frank dishonest. He claims to be a lawyer and in his words knows the law "pretty good." After asking him where he went to law school he reveals that it wasn't in the states.

Anyways he's pushing me to sign a lease at the 6% increase and says maybe I should be looking for another apt. as he doesn't know if the landlord will want to keep me. I've been paying rent on time for over 3 years, no complaints from police or neighbors. He's currently telling me there's no law to require a doorbell on a commercial space. He offered to take 15 bucks off rent when I told him I'd accept a 4% increase. He's being quite manipulative. The last conversation he told me that he has other tenants ready to move in at the new price and won't lower it more than the 15 dollars. I know he's lying.

I've put months of my life into building bedrooms, closets, lighting, doors, etc. I've resanded and finished floors. I have greatly increased the value of his apt. and he does nothing. I will be applying for loft law protection this month. But it is a commercial lease.

Does anyone know where I would look to see what the commercial real estate regulations or statutes are regarding NYC buildings? and what options do I have to deal with slimy minions of my landlord until I get Loft Law protections underway?
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Postby TenantNet » Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:22 am

You can see if a person is licensed to practice in NY state, go to http://www.nycourts.gov/attorneys/ and on the left click Attorney Directory. Anyone can have a law degree from anywhere, but to actually do anything here, they must be registered.

As for the rent and services, is this covered by the Loft Law? Is it an Interim Multiple Dwelling? You can start here http://nyclofttenants.org/faq/

If not, then I don't think there are any protections afforded by a commercial lease only.
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Postby LoftCause » Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:35 pm

I'm not looking for protections per se. I'm more looking for the letter of the law in regards to commercial leases and doorbells intercoms.

I will be pursuing the IMD/loft law stuff but at the moment I'm concerned with finding out if my landlord is required to have some kind of doorbell or intercom in the instance of a commercial lease. I've googled many permutations but to no avail. Do you know where online I'd look up the letter of the law in regards to this?
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Postby TenantNet » Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:02 pm

We don't cover commercial here. I believe both the Housing Maintenance Code and Multiple Dwelling Law address bell/buzzer systems for residential buildings. For commercial situation, if anywhere, check the NYC Dept. of Buildings and Buildings Code. But I don't think you'll find it there either.

Like many tenants, you're looking for the "letter of the law," but most of the time laws are not written that way.
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Postby LoftCause » Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:06 pm

Thanks I'll do some research...
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Postby ronin » Sun Sep 16, 2012 1:04 am

Even though the loft may be "commercial" if it is under the Loft Law I'm pretty sure you get a buzzer (that's what I've seen in the lofts I've visited). However, if it is purely commercial and not under any loft law provisions, then all you get is what's in the lease (and specific codes, but for commercial they are basically fire/ safety codes, not convenience).

IMHO
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Postby LoftCause » Sun Sep 16, 2012 1:35 am

thanks ronin. I am not yet under loft protections, strictly commercial atm.
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