Absent Landlord - Neglected Building
Pros
Most neighbors keep to themselves, neighborhood is great.
Cons
Niko was a neglectful owner from the beginning. Anytime we had an issue that needed his attention, it was always difficult to get a hold of him. For example, we lived on the 4th floor for almost 3 years and continued to beg him for window guards but he never installed. We had a serious pest problem, including bugs and mice and even on the 4th floor it was bad. The building isn’t well maintained, the same piece of garbage would be in the stairwell for weeks/months. Fellow tenants frequently leave garbage and other personal effects in the hallways outside their doors, often obstructing the exits. The heat in the building is incredibly strong and uncontrollable, it also makes the apt very, very dry in winter months. Also, the people who sort the garbage blast bachata music all Saturday and Sunday so you can’t open your windows that open to the courtyard. But you can’t really do that anyway in the summer because the smell gets so bad. Niko lives on Long Island and is never in the area. Lastly- After losing our jobs in the beginning of the pandemic, we pleaded with Niko to let us pay reduced rent, as our lease was up and we had nowhere to go. He worked with us for a while but eventually charged us back rent (never before agreed upon). Essentially throwing us out during a pandemic, Niko also refused to return our security deposit, even though the apartment had been left in good condition, approved by him.
Advice to the owners
Do the right thing and return the money you owe us. Keep better care of your building and listen to your tenants.
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