Not worth the headaches / Please do online research of property owner who like t o sue.
Pros
The unit is very quiet. More often in the summer, you will hear the patrons at the nearby bar (their backyard faces toward our building and noise travels), but other than that it's pretty quiet. The other tenant is very quiet too. The owners were initially pleasant to work with and seemed like very caring people (no rent increase first year due to covid). Neighbors are nice. Lots of storage space in the kitchen, 1 linen closet, 1 large closet in the bedroom and 1 large coat closet in the living area. Bathroom is clean and fairly spacious for NY. Overall space is cozy and comfortable for one person or a couple.
Cons
Although the unit itself is clean, the hallways are very dirty, never cleaned and dangerous with broken steps and railings (they will promise during showing this will be re-modeled). During the Summer, the unit gets very hot and the owners will not allow AC window units per lease agreement. The portable units can be very expensive and not as effective as a window unit. During some heat waves the unit can reach into the 90s. The bill in the summer can reach up to 300+. During winter months, there are drafts coming in from the windows and cracks from the walls. If you enjoy a colder apartment this may not be an issue but to keep it relatively warm (70-75), your bill will run you up to 200-300+ depending on your preferences. There were many roof leaks through out my time there and although they are quick to respond it was too often. There is no upkeep or preventive measures for rodent issues which are mainly located on the ground floor and occasionally can be heard through the walls (owners did nothing to fix this issue other than a few random roach traps) . No dishwasher, no microwave, no W/D or updated amenities. 12-15 minute walk from the train. One of the biggest red flags--> Over time, one the owners became more emotionally unstable and seemed upset anytime they had to visit for repairs or when contacted for reasonable repairs. The final straw was their disrespectful passive-aggresive attitude during a routine internet repair job I coordinated for the entire building - she was upset they needed access to her backyard-property despite adhering to HER schedule and coordinating this for the other tenant and her fake cameras. I paid my rent on time, kept my unit clean and was quiet. They never expressed concern or complaints toward me during my time there. During the final walk-thru the unit was left immaculate and my full deposit was returned because there were no damages, they said a prayer and thanked me for being an amazing tenant. I moved out June 30th, they were to get the keys later that morning but instead called me on July 1st at 5:40am (3 missed calls and voicemails) claiming they could not find the keys I left and when I tried to explain where they were located (an agreement we made during the walk thru that they seemed to forget), the owner began berating me, called me a scammer, screamed like a demon out of the exorcist "WHERE ARE MY KEEEEEYSSS", called me "missy" and that I was mentally ill , threatened me with her lawyer before hanging up . After calling several times to both owners to resolve this calmly, I was ignored, told to stop calling and then 10 minutes later a simple text " found the keys". She refused to confirm where she found the keys, only said " I have all the keys". I was shocked by this outburst and told her how inappropriate and hurtful she was especially after praising me for being a good tenant , the only reply was "no worries". No apology. I feel especially responsible to warn others of this potential behavior they may deal with. I do not know what is going on with this person but it seems to have become progressively worse. They seem very sweet and a charming older couple but tend to lash out when pressure is applied for normal repair request. Be aware.
Advice to the owners
Seek therapy or help for your inappropriate behavior and outbursts. It is not okay to threat people like this or talk down to them when they have been good tenants to you and just trying to help. Also, take accountability for your actions and words. To use God and offer prayer and then repeat hurtful words is diabolical, unprofessional and hypocritical. I hope you find peace.
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