Apartment Cooking Odors
I know we have seen this all before but I am hit with a dilemma. One of our tenants constantly complains about another tenants cooking odors. We have spoken with the tenant to open windows while cooking and keeping the fans running. We have broken through walls to try and seal up spaces where the…
I know we have seen this all before but I am hit with a dilemma. One of our tenants constantly complains about another tenants cooking odors. We have spoken with the tenant to open windows while cooking and keeping the fans running. We have broken through walls to try and seal up spaces where the oders may be traveling. We have sealed up doorways leading to the hallways to try and prevent the oders from seaping out. Each aparment has their own central air ventilation system. So we feel the ventilation is not the problem. The building was built in the eary 1900’s and all the fireplaces are closed up. But all seems to have failed. The odors are nothing short of basil, parsley and or garlic/oil. There is no complaints of middle eastern spices which may be a bit stronger. Is a rent reduction in order? The tenants seem to feel this is in order.
to deduct montly rents. it has been a tough year to say the least.
it has been a year of troubles. too many complaints to list. mind you this brownstone was completely renovated in 2004. Con ed had cut their electric off by accident b/c they wanted to turn off a vacant apt. that was last christmas season. we did our best to get con ed back but they could not get there the same day.
How much time remains on their lease? What were the other issues for which you offered nights at the Marriott? They refused… seems like they really do want a rent reduction which you should not provide because you will have admitted culpability for some issue or other. After which they can still do as Modsquad said.
Modsquad: great information. thanks so much. We will call upon our engineer to perform an investigation. By the way we have already offered nights at the Marriot for other issues and they always refused. They always wanted the cash to compensate. We do our best to be on the up and up at all times but we can only do so much. Please keep the suggestions coming as we welcome any and all advice. but honestly , is it possible to have an odorless building? I lived in a high rise rental 100+ apartment building and my floor always smelled of curry which seaped into my apartment. thanks again!
I don’t understand all the glad handing and circle jerking. Tenant’s contemporaneous notes will indicate a conversation with LL where he agreed that the fumes from neighboring apartments were so extreme that LL agrees to do what ever it takes to solve the problem. Tenant will also relay the suffering he and his family have endured over the last several months as LL “experiments” will elimination of the acrid vapors. Tenant’s counsel will ask LL what engineers and odor specialists he enlisted to solve this problem in a professional manner. Tenant will submit expenses involving the moving out on an emergency basis due to allergic reactions, a couple of weeks at the Marriott and the final move to a clean and odorless apartment.
That’s what I would do, then settle out of court thus keeping my name off the blacklist.
If modsquad is correct it indicates why our legal system sucks. No good deed goes unpunished, or good Samaritan blamed.
OP you’ve done more than enough.
modsquad – I hope you are wrong because that seems like I would have a terrible problem. I dont agree that it is considered warranty of habitability. We have had 2 sets of tenants in the past who never complained of cooking odors. I agree with some saying they just are a bit sensitive to smells.
LL has a problem however. The fact that he has tried unsuccessfully to “fix” the problem is acknowledgment, by him, that there is a problem. If I was the tenant I would used that to with hold rent and start a proceeding based on “constructive eviction” or maybe a “warranty of habitability”, both being somewhat vague in interpretation. Am I wrong?
As a fellow landlord, the best thing you can offer this whiny tenant is an opportunity to break lease penalty-free. All you, the generous landlord, require is 30 days notice. Deposit returned after inspection, of course.