Is this apt manager harassing my mom?

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

My mom is 77 years old. Has lived in her apt unit for 7 years. Guy moves in below her 4 months ago and immediately starts complaining about her walking around at night. Came up one night at 10:30 when I was about to leave saying it sounds like we're bowling. So this happens about once every other week. I'm at my mom's apt a lot because I drive her to the doctor, store, etc and I've seen the manager and this guy standing around talking so I'm thinking they're friends or at least friendly with each other. The apt manager calls my mom yesterday and says they will come by and check the sub flooring since he complained, again. I went to the office e myself to find out what that means exactly. She told me if it's a sub flooring issue then all the furniture has to be moved while they repair the floors. I asked her who's gonna move the furniture and she said my mom. I lost my shit and told her no way my mom will do that. She said I could then. Told her again, no way that's gonna happen and I will call someone about it. She then told me I'm not even supposed to be there. I told her I can visit my mom whenever I want. She immediately calls my mom and tells her I was rude to her, and that she sees my car there all the time. My mom told her I spend the night a few nights a week, and this manager knows this she's been seeing me for years around there. Come to find out the complaining guy moved from a 3rd story to a the first floor, and now he's having the issue with the walking above him he's not used to. Do y'all think she's harassing my mom over this guy? Should I call corporate and let them k ow what's going on? Why would they do thousands of flooring repair for one complaining resident?

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Comments (4)

erinsean
8 years ago
Does you mom have carpeting on her floors? That would muffle the sound. I lived on the second floor of a three floor apartment and yes, I could hear the little boy riding his "stick horse" but it was all done in the day time....didn't bother at all. Could never hear anyone walking around....floors were carpeted. What could sound like a bowling? Not sure your mom is being harassed, but sounds like he is being a little unreasonable. And no, your mom shouldn't have to move all her furniture for the apartment people to lay new underlayment. Let them do it or hire someone...Just a side note....we had a contractor build a two story summer rental for us. He said they had to be careful when nailing the subfloor down because sound will travel down the long nails to the lower apartment.....Maybe something like that is happening in that apartment house.
localeater
8 years ago
Harassing is a strong word.

I would recommend reviewing the lease.

Is she required to have area rugs covering a % of the floors? My NYC leases always required that.

Review tenant rights http://www1.nyc.gov/site/hpd/renters/tenants-rights.page only by arrangement does she need to allow him egress and only under certain conditions. Needed repairs is a condition but I don’t know if checking the subfloor constitutes a needed repair.
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NYGiantsChick1 .
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
The apt is carpeted. They're really old and I can hear it creak when you walk. She just called me and said maintenance just left and said it's a spot in front of the fireplace. So they're gonna try to repair the floor underneath. They also told her this is the 3rd unit he's been in, so I think he's the type that will never be happy. I just can't figure out why the manager is going through all this to make him happy, while upsetting my mom and telling me I shouldn't even be there.

Maybe she's just been lucky in the 7 years she's lived there and walking never bothered the downstairs neighbors before.

We're in the DFW area and these are not luxury apts. I could go to the pool during the summer and buy weed if I wanted to. This guy is really lucky hes under my senior citizen mom and not the drug dealers and gang bangers that live there
lucillle
8 years ago
There is more than creaking floors at stake here, the apt owner has huge liability if there is a flooring weakness, they knew about it, and then subsequently, something happens to your Mom. It is not the noise they are worried about.

I think that what happened between you and the manager was an unfortunate flareup of temper. If there is any way at all whatsoever that you could repair the relationship, that would be good.

The complainer guy has a history of complaining, I don't think the manager is his friend, I think that the complainer guy approaches the manager because he likes to complain.

BTW, often a few dollars to the maintenance guy will do wonders if you ever need stuff moved.