Last winter, I used bubble wrap to fill in that little vent thingy--stuffed it in with my fingers. And then I took duct tape and sealed it up all around the underside.

I also used the duct tape on the metal struts--especially on the bottom. There were little v-shaped spaces there that let air out.

And then in the summer, I just went up to the roof and peeled off the tape and pulled out the bubble wrap.

Posted by: bkrules at November 19, 2009 9:56 AM in response to Skylite heat loss

Ditto, had Federal Conservation do my roof with blown-in cellulose about a month ago. The difference on the top floor of our house is unbelievable. Sadly, the rest of the house still leaks like a sieve.

And I really liked the guy who came out--gave me a whole bunch of free advice on insulating various parts of the house with things like curtains, etc. I found them to be a firm with a lot of professionalism and integrity.

Posted by: bkrules at November 18, 2009 6:45 PM in response to Blown-in Insulation

"TIME FOR A RETURN TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. VOTE REPUBLICAN."

LOL, if you think the Republicans are fiscally responsible, I have a bridge to sell you. David Leonhardt did a great job of outlining the nonsense at the federal level: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/business/economy/10leonhardt.html?_r=1

And at the state level, Republicans have run the Senate for something like 80 years, and we had three-term Republican Pataki. That certainly wasn't an era of fiscal responsibility.

Bloomberg has also increased spending significantly:
http://www.nyfiscalwatch.com/?p=246

At this point, both Republicans and Democrats spend. Interestingly, Democrats spend less than Republicans--apparently an "only Nixon can go to China" effect. And when it comes to fiscal responsibility, Republicans overwhelmingly cut taxes as they increase spending, while Democrats demand offsets (increased tax revenue or cuts elsewhere) to their spending.

Democrats are the fiscally responsible party. The Republican fiscal policy is to rob Peter to give a tax break to Paul, with disastrous macroeconomic results well beyond the obvious deficits up the wazoo.

Posted by: bkrules at November 11, 2009 10:44 AM in response to Wednesday Links

Definitely don't apologize about butcher block! I like it.

Posted by: bkrules at November 9, 2009 6:37 PM in response to Butcher Block Treatment

Great to hear!

Check out Colson's Bakery at 9th and 6th--they have really, really good croissants and pastries.

And always pick up the circular from the Associated on 9th--they sometimes have amazing specials. We got chicken legs for 39c a pound! Hard to beat!

Posted by: bkrules at November 4, 2009 4:01 PM in response to 11th Street Firehouses

main reason that we don't all pack up and leave is that he has $5000 in security deposit money from us that i know he will try and find any way not to return.

You were never getting that money back from John. You think a guy who's done this to you won't find some pretext to keep more of your money?

If I've got this right, when you moved in he told you the rent was $3500 per month and it would be split equally? Or he told you you paid 1/5 of the rent, which was $700 (same difference).

Well, then, since the rent was only $3000, that means you were overpaying your agreed-upon share by $175 per month before the new roommate moved in. And since the new roommate moved in, you've been overpaying by $200.

So, stop paying him.

I'd tell him that since there is a new roommate, you will be paying 1/6 of the $3,000 rent from this point forward ($500 a month), and that he should take the first however many months out of your security deposit, and the next however many months out of your overpayments to date. If he comes back at you, don't negotiate, don't explain, don't discuss, this is just how it is. Give him a lot of "I'm so sorry you feel that way. I felt pretty terrible when I found out I'd been overpaying for so many months." And then just say nothing.

He mis-represented the terms of a contract that is probably unenforceable anyway. It doesn't matter how you found out he was lying. Blah blah blah, don't get sucked into his drama. Just, these are your terms. And if he gets all "and if I don't accept your terms," just say "I'm sorry." And hang up. It's not your job to solve his problem of not liking the fact you'll be paying him less, and only start paying him again after your overpayments/security have brought you back to an even balance.

Tell your roommates you are doing this, as an FYI. If they want to do it, too, be supportive of them. But do this with or without them. But be clear that this is between you and John, it's John's name on the lease, it's HIS problem (not theirs) to find the money to pay.

He will undoubtedly try to get you out of there. But odds are, he would have tried to get you out of there anyway since you're the pesky troublemaker who exposed his scam.

Remove all your valuables from the apartment NOW. Put some clothes at a friend's house where you could crash for awhile if he changes the locks. Make sure none of the utilities, etc are in your name. Have a plan for what to do if you come home to find the locks changed. Get all illegal substances out of your place (pot, whatever) in case he calls the cops. Change the password of all your accounts to something that's hard to hack.

And start looking for a new place. If this works out and he doesn't give you a hard time, once you've lived there long enough that all the overpayments are even, ask yourself if you want to live in this place for $500 a month, given the trust situation with John. If the answer is no, start looking for a new place.

But under no circumstances does John get any more of your money until the balance comes even.

Posted by: bkrules at November 4, 2009 3:50 PM in response to Sublet/Share Legal Issue

I heard a rumor that at night, they turn on the sirens when they turn the corner. This is an unconfirmed rumor--I'd ask some renters in the area to confirm it.

Posted by: bkrules at November 3, 2009 8:20 PM in response to 11th Street Firehouses

Broke on second use? That's ridiculous. Return it.

Posted by: bkrules at October 30, 2009 11:19 AM in response to Lawn Mower Repair

Would be very nervous about recessed lighting and updating--it's the kind of thing that will go out of fashion, and which turns off a segment of buyers. And it's expensive.

In general, I'd think going with classic fixtures--wall sconces, ceiling lights, etc--is the smart bet. Using fixtures that are modern (ie, don't turn the gaslights back on) but consistent with the turn of the century "look" of the house is probably the safest thing to do. There's a danger of doing something that screams "2000" and then trying to sell in 2020, when something else is fashionable.

That said, if you're staying a long time, do what YOU like. It's your home.

Posted by: bkrules at October 30, 2009 11:12 AM in response to Thoughts on Recessed Lighting

I found a jar of formaldehide with a human brain in it. The jar was marked "Hitler".

That's so common Corcoran considers it an amenity.

Posted by: bkrules at October 27, 2009 5:01 PM in response to Creepy Crawls in the Walls

When we moved into our place, we had a total nightmare of an infestation. Got the place bombed, and then I put out the poison bait stations.

Haven't seen a roach since, and we've got glue traps all over the house where we used to see them. I'd give it a shot. If you start to see roaches, then you know and you can deal with it.

Posted by: bkrules at October 27, 2009 2:43 PM in response to Pest Control Necessary?

I lived with a professional pianist, and it never bothered me. Definitely put it on a carpet. And piano movers are really good at moving pianos--they take the legs off. My pianist moved hers into a place with a super sharp turn--no idea how they did it, but they did it.

If you're worried about the 2nd floor tenant, talk to the 2nd floor tenant. Whatever fl 2 agrees to, put in writing. And if fl 2 won't agree, you have your answer. And you have fair reason to jack up fl 2's rent when renewal times comes--he cost you a tenant.

Posted by: bkrules at October 26, 2009 6:59 PM in response to Rent to a Pianist - Crazy?

Wow, that's absolutely beautiful.

Posted by: bkrules at October 25, 2009 11:50 PM in response to 1886 Cherry Wood Mantel for Sale

My cousin has had wood in her kitchen for 15 years, and the wood has some wear and tear, but looks much better than a 15 year old tile floor. And it's easy enough to refinish.

She's a HUGE cook--even put in a new ventilation system so she could install a bazillion BTU stove and run a proper wok. Not a show kitchen--a working kitchen.

Posted by: bkrules at October 25, 2009 2:00 PM in response to Kitchen Floors

There's also colored chalkboard paint, if you want to do something other than black:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/another-color-twist-on-chalkboard-paint-088829

Posted by: bkrules at October 24, 2009 3:34 PM in response to Blackboard Panel for Fridge

There's a chance it's due to some kind of plumbing problem--I'd check to make sure the toilet doesn't have a bad seal or the faucets aren't leaking. Assuming, of course, you haven't already done that.

If you really suspect it's malicious, maybe try calling your plumber. They've probably seen this kind of situation before, and could have a suggestion about a fix (maybe some kind of limiter, which automatically shuts off the water after some pre-set time that it's been running). And they can tell you if Arkady's approach might work.

Posted by: bkrules at October 23, 2009 3:49 PM in response to Tenant Leaving Water On

Manhattan is New York County. That's why it's New York, NY. (Of course, we're not Kings, NY, because the system is inconsistent.)

I'm sure the reasons are all just the path-dependent nature of big cities. Nobody much cares to take on the political fights involved in rationalizing the nomenclature, so it stays funky.

Posted by: bkrules at October 23, 2009 12:14 PM in response to Mailing Addresses: BK vs QNS

Agree with Vinca. You need to make sure this is just some kind of weird coincidence and that you're not a victim of identity theft.

You can check your credit report for FREE once a year, from equifax or one of the other companies. Don't pay for any upsells--it should be totally free.

You might also want to put a freeze on your credit report. This means no one can run a check on your credit until you unfreeze it. Which is useful because if someone has stolen your identity and tries to open up a credit card, the credit card company will run the credit check, see the freeze, and refuse to issue a card. Downside is you have to remember to un-freeze it if you want to do anything that requires your credit--but that's for things like credit cards and buying a house, so it's not like you shouldn't remember. Information on how to do this is here:
http://www.consumersunion.org/campaigns/learn_more/003484indiv.html

And to make these calls stop, you should tell them you are not this person, and if they harass you, they're actually financially liable:
http://consumerist.com/5031790/psycho-debt-collectors-will-not-stop-calling-me-about-someone-elses-debt

Posted by: bkrules at October 22, 2009 8:33 PM in response to Someone's Using My Address

If I remember correctly, the Hamburger place next to ChipShop on 5th Avenue at 6th street has windows like that. I was surprised at how non-drafty they were last winter. Maybe go in and ask them how they did it.

Posted by: bkrules at October 21, 2009 4:49 PM in response to Winterizing Cafe Windows

No idea how the pricing on something like this works, so no comment there. But the vent over the stove is just freaking stupid. They should have put the stove on the wall, and the sink on the island. That vent just breaks up the space and looks stupid.

I also think this would show much better if it were staged. Without furniture, it's really hard to get a sense of the scale of this place.

Posted by: bkrules at October 21, 2009 1:01 PM in response to All About the Clocktower

Sketch and hammer do nothing but decks, and have a great aesthetic sense. I think they do metal, too.
http://sketchandhammer.com/

Posted by: bkrules at October 20, 2009 3:15 PM in response to Pics of Metal Decks?

Can anyone explain the hay bales in the backyard?

Posted by: bkrules at October 20, 2009 3:04 PM in response to House of the Day: 65 Prospect Park West, Reduced

December is a terrible time to try and rent out an apartment. The LL is pretty much guaranteed to have it sitting empty for a month. I wouldn't mention it to him, but you should know that the timing on this strengthens your hand.

And I'd look at other apartments so you have a sense of what the market is. I would not expect to find a place and then approach the landlord and have the place still be there once you got an answer from him. There will probably be a bit of back and forth and you don't need the added pressure of losing a place you like.

Posted by: bkrules at October 13, 2009 5:34 PM in response to Negotiating Rent Reduction

I really disagree with your contractor.

I would think that radiant electric floor heating plus risers and radiators are overkill. Tile really holds its heat--my friends who have radiant hot water use a much cooler temperature on their bathroom floors than in the wooden floor spaces for exactly that reason. Not to mention, there's a shower in that room that kicks off tons of hot steam every time it's used!

Step back and look at this thermodynamically. This is a small room that, when occupied, has FOUR sources of heat: the floor electric radiant, the towel warmer, your own body heat, and the freaking shower! If there's a real concern that the room will be cold, then your problem really isn't the heat supply, it's the heat retention. The solution should not be to install yet another incredibly expensive piece of plumbing that will pump in more heat. The solution should be to keep the heat in.

If you took the money you'd spend on risers and a radiator and instead ripped out the walls and super-insulated them, and ripped out the window and replaced it with a super-insulated window, I think the room would be much more toasty than adding a riser, and you'd still be way ahead financially. Not just in the short-term, but also in the long-term because you wouldn't be paying to burn gas to heat a leaky room.

In addition, because I am super cheap I'd invest in a timer for the radiant heat. If you were able to set the floor to automatically turn on and off based on your schedule, you could have it turn on an hour or two before your morning routine and it would be really toasty warm in there by the time you got up. And you would save on the electric bills because you wouldn't be paying to keep the bathroom warm while you were in bed or at work. (Of course, this assumes that you either don't get up at 2AM to use the bathroom or that you don't mind being a little chilly if you do!)

Also, a big quality of life improvement is to can get an electric warmer for the toilet seat. That's a lot cheaper than heating the whole room to get the fixtures warm, and again, it's a lot more comfortable because you can get the seat much warmer than the room's ambient temperature. From experience, I can attest it's a lot more pleasant to sit down on an 80 degree toilet seat in a 60 degree room than to sit down on a 70 degree toilet seat in a 70 degree room.

Posted by: bkrules at October 12, 2009 1:33 PM in response to Bathroom Heating

Hulu has a show where all they do is DIY bathroom renovations:

http://www.hulu.com/bathroom-renovations

I remember an episode where they mixed concrete for a shower floor. They had a plastic protection layer under the concrete. I think it's the "family bath expansion" series of episodes.

Posted by: bkrules at October 3, 2009 2:48 PM in response to Shower Advice Needed Urgently

Not a real estate agent, but I expect it would depend on where you are.

In high-cost areas, I expect double-duplex are a harder sell--people who have the capital to buy in those areas will usually prefer a triplex. So, your target market will want to convert, so they'll factor in renovation costs when making their bid.

Just a guess.

Posted by: bkrules at October 3, 2009 2:39 PM in response to Double Duplex vs 3-over-1

"Wish it was that easy..I just can't go into a tenants apartment without their consent."

I don't get it...isn't this in your lease? Not a lawyer, but doesn't every landlord have a right to go in with appropriate notice? You've had complaints, and you have the right to see if this is creating a vermin situation or other habitability hazard.

Posted by: bkrules at October 2, 2009 2:32 PM in response to Bad Smell from Tenant

This is freaking AWESOME.

I've tried to bike on PPW, and it's taking your life in your hands. Cars speed down it like maniacs, and I've almost been doored by parked cars.

Two lanes will definitely help slow down traffic there, which is all to the good. And if they're widening the sidewalks as they do this, that's really great.

One thing I do worry about is pedestrian/bike interactions. There should probably be little speed bumps at each pedestrian intersection, to slow down the bikes.

Posted by: bkrules at October 2, 2009 2:18 PM in response to Prospect Park West to Get Bike Lane

Search the boards for Manny the fireplace guy. He did a great job for us, and all he does is fireplaces. He didn't try to upsell us, or tell us we needed any unnecessary work.

Posted by: bkrules at September 29, 2009 10:48 AM in response to Chimney Repair

Our broker was Barbara Rogers at BHS. She did an amazing job getting us tenants that we absolutely LOVE.

Posted by: bkrules at September 28, 2009 8:51 PM in response to Can you recommend a great agent?

I had one of these when I was a little kid. Oh, I LOVED it.

Posted by: bkrules at September 28, 2009 10:39 AM in response to Invisible Dogs

Ooh! Another one: blueletters@gmail.com. Bronze would be perfect, we need it to match the one in our kitchen!

Posted by: bkrules at September 26, 2009 12:03 PM in response to Free Chandeliers

WTF? Sponge drawer? Such a thing exists?

The miracles never cease.

Posted by: bkrules at September 22, 2009 10:09 PM in response to ISO Your Kitchen Reno Favorites!

As a landlord, I think the thing I would do is refund them the security deposit minus: any damages beyond reasonable wear & tear, minus the 15 days they were gone, and minus the difference in rent between the old tenant and them.

But who knows in a particular situation? Maybe they were terrible tenants. Maybe they were great ones. Maybe they were shmoes who tried hard but who messed things up because they were kind of screwups. Maybe they were really great and understanding the 3 weeks you didn't have hot water. Who knows?

I think the thing to do is to try and put yourself in their shoes and think if a landlord did this to me, would I be OK with it? Not happy, but like "ok, this is reasonable, I respect this."

Posted by: bkrules at September 22, 2009 9:59 PM in response to Tenant Breaks Lease...

Pantry, Pantry, Pantry! My little room filled with food, it makes me happy every time I step in it.

Posted by: bkrules at September 22, 2009 12:00 AM in response to ISO Your Kitchen Reno Favorites!

"There is a reason the free markets used to work the best."

Clearly, you have never studied economic history. The unsustainable booms, panics and depressions that characterized our free markets from the late 1800's through the Great Depression were frequent and horrific. The post-WWII period was unquestionably a time of much tighter markets, exceptional capital stability, and strong, sustainable economic growth.

Markets are good. But they need to be regulated. And, in fact, markets are PART an economy, not all of it. There are all kinds of vital investments that private markets cannot make and will never make.

Seriously, how can anyone defend free market fundamentalism after what we have just seen? That's not rational. We literally reached a point where we were placing massively leveraged bets that people who couldn't afford their mortgages either wouldn't default, or would default and it would be profitable (or, at least not costly). That's tulip bulb thinking. It's clear evidence our markets aren't allocating private capital efficiently and need massive re-structuring.

Not to mention that while this mania was happening, our nation's public infrastructure was literally crumbling. A bridge fell down in freaking Minnesota! There is a strong case to be made that not only are our public markets allocating private capital poorly, but that we have also allowed far too much of our nation's productive capital to be dedicated to private sector investment. I'm sorry Wall Street hasn't figured out how to make a fortune off universal literacy, good roads, clean water or affordable healthcare, but these things are, in fact, as necessary to our economy as CDOs. Arguably, more so.

Ah, but it occurs to me that I might be suggesting that Wall Street bazillionaires might be a bunch of poseurs who will not ever usher in a free market paradise. That they are, in fact, a bunch of guys who have figured out how to make a ginormous pile of money and who have bought into a bunch of total nonsense to justify the current system. Sure, it doesn't really work that great for our country or for the majority of people in it, but it has made them quite comfortable.

By all means, let's pretend the free market used to work better than a regulated one. While we're at it, I'd like to go back to the days when government worked better because God appointed the king. Oh, and when we could guarantee a good harvest if we all prayed very hard to Demeter.

Posted by: bkrules at September 19, 2009 4:09 PM in response to NYC Unemployment Passes 10%

To be clear, I don't know anything about this particular company. Just that there's a notorious door-to-door scam in NYC where people switch your energy company without your permission.

Posted by: bkrules at September 17, 2009 12:16 AM in response to ESCOs: U.S. Energy Savings

This is a notorious Brooklyn/Queens scam. They've probably switched you already without your permission--that's why they wanted to see your bill, so they could copy down your account numbers and information.

Here is a link on what to do:

http://consumerist.com/5159833/warn-others-about-energy-company-scams-with-this-flyer

Consumerist is the blog of Consumer Reports. If you search there for "energy" you'll find a TON of stories about this happening in NYC.

Posted by: bkrules at September 17, 2009 12:14 AM in response to ESCOs: U.S. Energy Savings

Okay, this is really upsetting. Lucali's has freaking awesome pizza.

Posted by: bkrules at September 9, 2009 4:31 PM in response to Closing Bell: Pizza and the Mob

Yep--don't waste your money patching if this thing is at the end of its life. Get a new roof.

Posted by: bkrules at September 9, 2009 1:10 PM in response to Roof Inspection Results - help!

I've heard it too--definitely an insect.

Here is a link to an entomologist's page that has the sounds of common crickets in NYC:
http://pick14.pick.uga.edu/cricket/specieslist.html

It also has links to other sites with more insect sounds.

There's a "cricket crawl" on September 11 where a bunch of scientists are asking people to listen for the 7 species of cricket and the katydid whose sounds they've linked to in the first link above. It's from dusk to about 1AM that they want to collect data. Information about the cricket crawl is here: http://pick14.pick.uga.edu/cricket/

Posted by: bkrules at September 5, 2009 12:05 AM in response to What is Chittering Out Back?

Disagree with other posters--this is total BS. Definitely worth bringing it to the AG's attention. Also worth bringing it to the attention of your local legislator (Assembly and Senate), and your local council member. Would also mention this to any organization that works in domestic violence.

And go through the stories on the website. Email the people in them. I'm sure they have no idea someone is doing this to them.

It's nonsense to suggest that laws which served to protect privacy in the non-computer age are sufficient for the information age. I mean, if stuff like this ends up the new standard of privacy, fine. But that should be something that we debate and have input on, and that people know about so they can try and take precautions. It shouldn't be something that just happens because we're working off laws that existed before google.

Posted by: bkrules at September 3, 2009 1:59 PM in response to Blockshopper

Heard good things about the dual-flush caroma. But we don't have one, so I can't speak from firsthand experience.

Posted by: bkrules at September 2, 2009 1:35 PM in response to Toilet recommendations

It's completely unsurprising that the same banks which were so completely reckless with their investors' capital also failed to keep decent records. And now their contracts are legally unenforceable.

Well, too bad for them. This judge is doing a very good thing, and it would be better for the market if every other judge also held banks to the proper legal standard of proving ownership before they take possession of someone else's property. I mean, that's capitalism 101.

And there's no reason this would justify an increase in mortgage closing costs. What it would justify is a lot less re-selling of mortgages to third parties. Which, um, given the role of CDOs in this catastrophe seems like it's a good thing.

I mean, it's a lot less profitable to sell a schmuck a mortgage he can't afford to pay back on an overvalued home if you're the one left holding the bag when he defaults!

Posted by: bkrules at August 31, 2009 12:41 PM in response to The 'Judicial Don Quixote' on the Foreclosure Frontlines

You know for a fact that this dog is a danger. If it gets loose and harms someone, you will definitely get sucked into this. Lawyers will go after you because as the building owner with an insurance policy, you probably have the deepest pockets.

IANAL, but if there is any way to interpret any provision of your lease that would allow you to demand they get rid of the dog and you don't use it, it seems like you're going to be held liable. And I'll bet your insurance policy has a way to avoid covering "I knew the dog was vicious but I didn't do anything about it."

You've got to talk to a lawyer and figure out what provision of your lease allows you to say to them "it's either the dog goes or you all go." I mean, I'd start with "look, I'd like you to get rid of this dog" and if they don't respond reasonably by saying "we understand, he attacked someone and he has to go," then you can escalate to "I'm sorry, that wasn't a request, it's him or it's all of you."

But really, talk to a lawyer.

Posted by: bkrules at August 28, 2009 5:37 PM in response to tenant has vicious dog

Hulu has a show where a woman just does over bathrooms. Season 5, episode 5 she re-does a bathroom using this glass tile on the wall, and shows all the tricks of how to install it properly.

http://www.hulu.com/bathroom-renovations?c=Home-and-Garden/Do-it-Yourself

Scroll on the bottom to season 5, episode 5.

Posted by: bkrules at August 28, 2009 10:11 AM in response to How to install this mosaic tile?

You'll need a flux capacitor, son.

Posted by: bkrules at August 24, 2009 12:12 PM in response to Radiant Floor Heating

Sunset Park has a lot of great Chinese restaurants. Biked there a couple weeks ago, and had amazing dim sum.

Check out chowhound for specific recommendations--search the outer borough boards for sunset park chinese.

Posted by: bkrules at August 23, 2009 9:13 AM in response to Best chinese restaurant in BKLN

Dunno. I drove past at 7ish, and there were at least 3 cars plus an ambulance. And a lot of people milling around, crossing the street, etc. It didn't sound or look violent, and didn't feel particularly tense--at first I thought it was a traffic accident, but then I realized there were too many police cars for that.

Posted by: bkrules at August 22, 2009 8:53 PM in response to Gowanus Houses

Agree with above, we had an original skylight and it had a vent and it never leaked. Your skylight shouldn't leak. Except maybe in the aforementioned few-drops-during-the-great-blizzard-of-ought-four situation. No water should ever come in during a summer storm.

Either your contracter screwed up the install or the manufacturer screwed up the manufacture, but either way, you didn't hire him to install a skylight that leaks when it rains.

There's nothing you can do now if he ripped you off on the cost, so don't fixate on it. It's his job to figure out why it's leaking, and it's his job to stop the leak. Fixate on making him do that.

Posted by: bkrules at August 21, 2009 2:00 PM in response to Contractor Headache

So, wait. You all "SHOULD" be paying $500/month and instead 4 of you are paying $700 and the leaseholder is paying $200? Math is not my strong suit and I wasn't paying close attention, but wtf. Yes, $200 can seem like a lot of money when you're young and broke and in the city, but for christ's sake, the guy isn't even LIVING there most of the time... so... who cares if he pays less? He still has responsibility. He still has the lease. He still put down the initial money with the landland and built the place.

And, frankly, as I discovered when I was young and broke in the city, it's an amazingly common story. And the moral is simple: get your own lease, probably at another apartment.

If you want the bad karma and potential repercussions, then by all means, stop paying rent and move out. Not that big a deal. When John assumed the lease, he assumed the risk that you all would do that. So give him 2 months notice and do so.

Posted by: Heather at November 4, 2009 6:13 PM in response to Sublet/Share Legal Issue

did you seriously just call me buttface? hahah. i KNOW the subtenant (psoter) has no liability to the owner, but heather made an excellent point. it's an absentee roommate essentially who pays less. duh of course they should pay less! case closed. and yeah like she said it's very very very very common, it's essentially how the rental share market works for people who HAVE to have roommates and cant get their lease. im in a good situation now where it's 50/50 but it was never always that way.

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at November 4, 2009 6:56 PM in response to Sublet/Share Legal Issue

I'm just answering the question without the predictable agendas many on this blog have.
OP was looking for any "rights" he might have, not moral navel gazing or a spanking. I personally don't think there's much of a screwing going on here.
Did I call you buttface? Do you turn your head whenever you here some kid shout out, "Hey Asshole!"?

Posted by: modsquad at November 4, 2009 8:04 PM in response to Sublet/Share Legal Issue

I actually know three different couples who live on that block of 11th Street (two rent and one own). They love it. The firemen don't turn on the lights or sirens until they cross 7th Avenue. There is an active block association who keep the firemen in check! It's a great block and a wonderful part of the Slope. Congratulations on finding an apartment there.

Posted by: BlueHills at November 4, 2009 8:34 PM in response to 11th Street Firehouses

The horn and siren are safety devices used to warn vehicles that a firetruck is approaching the intersection. The officer controls them with foot pedals. The driver can also hit the horn. I am sure if someone in the firehouse sees the comment that the block association has them "under control" you will hear a lot more of the horn and siren.

Posted by: Grumpy at November 4, 2009 8:53 PM in response to 11th Street Firehouses

Just bite the bullet and talk to the landlord. Tell him what's been going on- considering the economy, I'm sure he's much rather have tenants than not. That said, and I am not sure if it applies in your case, tenants are not allowed, by law to make money off of a rental. That is- the leaseholder is not allowed to make money on a landlord's property. So john is essentially using the lease to make money.

Check the lease to see if there is a residency requirement. Does a tenant have to be in residence in order to keep the lease? In some situations- such as rs/rc, they do.

In any case, stop paying John and start paying the landlord directly. Don't expect to see any money back from John- and once you settle your situation you can tell him he can pick up his stuff or you will assume he has abandoned it and you'll do what you want with it.

Posted by: bxgrl at November 5, 2009 10:30 AM in response to Sublet/Share Legal Issue

Check www.butcherblockco.com and a few of the other suppliers. There are butcher block counters made in many different woods and the walnut & cherry are especially beautiful.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 10, 2009 9:00 AM in response to Butcher Block Treatment

Thanks everyone for your suggestions

Posted by: tangerine at November 18, 2009 8:32 PM in response to Blown-in Insulation

there must be a reason these things are vents.

is it legal or even a good idea to seal them?

anyone know the code and reasoning?

Posted by: antidope at November 19, 2009 10:00 AM in response to Skylite heat loss

Try sealing from the inside with that Frost King window insulation kit. It comes in various sizes and that's what I use in the winter on my windows. It even works on the window my air conditioner is in (I never remove the ac in the winter.)

http://tinyurl.com/ylzcd29

Posted by: InsertSnappyNameHere at November 19, 2009 10:02 AM in response to Skylite heat loss