Neighbors Not Shovelling Snow
So, I’m wondering if I can do anything about my neighbors who don’t shovel their snow. As in, they haven’t shoveled after ANY of the storms we’ve had. This is a problem in front of at least four houses on our block, which have narrow paths of packed-down ice at least three inches thick. I…
So, I’m wondering if I can do anything about my neighbors who don’t shovel their snow. As in, they haven’t shoveled after ANY of the storms we’ve had. This is a problem in front of at least four houses on our block, which have narrow paths of packed-down ice at least three inches thick. I have tried ringing the doorbells a few times but never get any answer. Our lazy-ass next door neighbors moved out without making any shovelling arrangements, so my husband and a couple of other neighbors have been cleaning that walk, but it’s pretty ridiculous for us to have to go up and down the entire block cleaning up after peoplewho don’t maintain their own property. I’m not really one for ratting people out for petty shit, but the situation is getting to the point where it’s genuinely dangerous (actually, it passed that point a while back). It’s especially aggravating because a) there are several elderly people on our block and it’s just a matter of time until one of them gets hurt, and b) there are several young men who go door to door here offering to shovel walks for $10. Is there anyone I can call about this situation, and is it likely to actually accomplish anything?
Again, someone want to give me a case name where a neighbor was successfully sued for shoveling a neighbor’s walk? I understand the hypothetical, but really find it dubious that it would find much traction with a jury. And quite frankly we shovel our neighbor’s sidewalk so we can walk down it. The idea that you would just not shovel and have your son clamber through 3 foot drifts because you are afraid of being sued is ludicrous.
I’m sure the city has figured out that whatever it would get in fines would be dwarfed by the amount it risks in medical leave, workers comp and lawsuits from its own staff if it sent them out to ticket icy sidewalks.
if a person doesn’t shovel, you can either do it for them or call 311. I had a problem where a church never shoveled, until I called the precinct and they visited the Church and it was done from then on. 311 will have a DOS supervisor go see and if its not they will issue a summons.
The law on shoveling your own has always been the city is responsible until the 2003 law. They thought it would bring down the city’s cost. the city still gets sued too and the insurance rates have gone up because of it. The thought was that people would think twice if they weren’t sue the deep pocket city….but now they are just suing the supposedly deep pocket landlords and insurance companies…
When you volunteer to shovel someone else’s sidewalk you are a volunteer and owe the same duty of care that the owner would….it is actually best to leave it alone as the person walking on an un-shoveled sidewalk assumes some risk of mother nature’s wrath…(the one to three rule would not help a volunteer however-they are being sued for their action and do not have the benefit of the immunity)
Interesting that the city was liable for accidents on sidewalks until § 7-210 was enacted in 2003. Now property owners are liable, except for owner occupied 1- 2- 3-family residential buildings.
I shovel my sidewalk, but people (in 1- to 3-family homes) can choose not to shovel to avoid liability for doing it badly and making it worse than if they had done nothing. All they risk is fines if the city tickets for not shoveling. I suppose they still risk being sued by the postal worker or UPS guy who slips and falls on the steps or the property that does belong to the homeowner. And they suffer from the bad karma of not being a good neighbor.
“Rob – you don’t own any property because you are always here posting unhelpful comments about neighborhoods you have never visited.”
*rob* visits many places on the Internet, so there’s no need for him to go there in person to form an opinion.
🙂
The City does ticket… my old landlord got tickets for almost every snow storm. He had a handyman who he paid for all sorts of things, but never had him show up on the right day. So he was fined. So avoidable and really stupid (he was gonna pay the guy anyway). I think the fine was something like $300.
They can’t be asked????? Why not? Unless you are elderly, disabled or otherwise unable to shovel, there is not reason on earth why someone can’t do it. And if you are unwilling to get out there and do it yourself, cough up some money and pay someone to do it. There are always young men who will ring your bell to ask to shovel, and they don’t charge much, and they are in every neighborhood, rich or poor. In fact, one’s neighborhood income has nothing to do with show shovelling.
I think the city is responsible for a lot of things, but this is not one of them. There is NO excuse for unshovelled walkways in front of occupied buildings.
Shoveling snow in front of the sidewalk is not city responsibility. It is the home owners responsibility to shovel as is everyone’s responsibility to sort recyclables and throw garbage in proper containers.
Rob – you don’t own any property because you are always here posting unhelpful comments about neighborhoods you have never visited. It doesn’t help that you are poor and ignorant.
Rob, you’re right the sidewalk is city owned, however, they charge you to maintain it. Clear and remove snow when it falls, maintain it if it cracks and so on and so forth. They will gladly bill you for any work done to it by their contractors.