Forum Archive: Etiquette

Selling my Manhattan co-op en route to a new home in Brooklyn. We’re FSBO because I just couldn’t see handing over that 3-6% to an agent.

So here’s the predicament: we have at least two offers – about the same amount. How to proceed fairly but make a good deal? Both seem qualified to pass the board, etc. Any advice is appreciated.

I went to leave for work this morning and found a present on my steps leading down to my garden apt.

I know that there has been a stoop pooper roaming Boerum Hill in the past (circa 2007-2008), but has anyone had an issue lately with stoop poopers? This incident was on Butler btwn Smith & Court.

BrooklynExpediter – Thanks again for the info on getting CofO certificate. FYI – John is now in Room 811 & the fee is only $5.

Hi, I am curious if other people living in brownstones have had experience with this issue. The lower unit in our brownstone has a separate entrance under the front stoop, behind a gated door. Is it your experience that this space under the stairs would be used by them only, or would it generally be considered shared space for everyone in the building? I would be very interested to know as it is a usuable storage area that is not mentioned in the building documents, but just wondering what the normal convention is.

So… the apartment building next door has been repointing and painting. They have been using our garage roof to gain access to one wall. At no point did any one inform us that this would be going on, let alone ask permission to use our roof. Today, they used a ladder to get into our back garden, pulling up the fence I built to surround my vegetable patch. I phoned the realtor, who passed on my message to the owner. He called to apologise but then informed me that they intend to repoint the entire wall along our back garden, obviously killing lots of our plants. He promises they will “clean up”, but having come home and found my veggie patch torn up, I’m don’t have much faith in their ability to do this without destroying everything. Are we legally bound to allow them to do this, whenever they want? Or can we require them to do it at a time that suits us (i.e., fall or winter, or very early spring. Um, actually, any time that our plants and vegetables aren’t in full swing). Thanks. And ARGH!

I have an apartment building near me that is horrible about its garbage. The cans are stored on the sidewalk, not in any container, typically with no lids, with garbage piling up beside them. Needless to say the trash gets everywhere, and passersby feel fine about adding their own litter to the mix (loose trash begets more trash, and new yorkers love to use their own city as a garbage can).

I have called 311 and made a report about the offending building, but I have two questions I’m hoping you can help me with.

The offender’s (building A in the drawing) trash, spreads behind building B. B is a commercial building that does not have an entrance on the same street as A. There is typically trash (non-household) thrown on the sidewalk behind B, adding to the blown household garbage. Who is responsible for keeping that clean? I don’t want to punish building B unfairly for a situation that seems to be started by building A, but the situation is ridiculous.

What is the most effective way to utilize 311 to get this building to comply with sanitation laws? Loose trash and containers with no lids, and never sweeping the sidewalk are against the law, period. It’s a daily problem with this building, and it affects our entire block. I have thus far only made one call to report it, and I have a report number. I have photos, but 311 says those are of no use to them. Should I make a new report every time I see a violation? This would mean basically I am calling once a day.

Thank you for any help.

Hey All,

Just wondering what the proper procedure to follow when someone parks directly in front of your driveway. This has happened for the second time now- the first time I didn’t need to get out for a while so I didn’t do anything right away and they moved after a day, but now I will need my car tomorrow afternoon and am not sure the car will be gone.
Whose dealt with this before? Do you call the cops? A tow truck? Write a note on the window? Or try to sell it for scrap?

Both creative and realistic advice encouraged.

Thanks!

I rent the top floor of a brownstone and my landlord lives downstairs from me. I barely see him or his family, but if I am going to be gone for over a month for work, should I let him know? My friends will be stopping by to pick up mail and otherwise take care of things, so besides the accumulating mail during the week he may not even notice. It just feels like I should maybe give him a heads up?

A couple years ago a new neighbor purchased the brownstone next door to mine, and since then, at least 80 percent of the time, the trash from that house gets placed in front of MY brownstone on the nights when we put out trash and/or recycling on our block. I see the neighbor tries to put it where there is a break between cars (to make it easier for the sanitation workers), and they do have a large tree in front of their property (which takes up some space). There is still room in front of his own house though, and I don’t see why the tree entitles him to put his trash in front of my place. We have in the past been ticketed for recycling issues that were not our fault (when presumably some person walking by put a newspaper and empty coffee cup in one of our bins). I have always been vigilant to keep my recycling well sorted and in SEALED bags, and have kept lids on our trash bins. The neighbor is more careless and often piles improperly sorted recyclables in front of my house too. What is the most diplomatic way to express to this neighbor that his trash belongs in front of HIS OWN brownstone? Is this a common problem in brownstone Brooklyn?