Dealings with New Neighbor/Hallway Dispute
Hello- Looking for a bit of advice on how to handle this situation: My husband and I moved into a brownstone about two months ago, we are on the second interior level (so, we are above the parlor and have one two-floor apartment above us). In the hallway, on our floor, outside the unused second…
Hello- Looking for a bit of advice on how to handle this situation:
My husband and I moved into a brownstone about two months ago, we are on the second interior level (so, we are above the parlor and have one two-floor apartment above us). In the hallway, on our floor, outside the unused second door to our unit I have been keeping our vacuum cleaner and laundry cart. Then a few weeks ago the upstairs neighbor started keeping a bike in that corner sort or leaning up against our things. I thought, that’s sorta strange but, it’s not really in my way and it must be a pain to carry that bike up another flight, so whatever. But, I just got a text from the neighbor saying, “We are putting up a stand for our bikes in our end of the hallway if you could move your cleaning stuff at some point.” I’m wondering if I’m crazy…but, to me, the hallway isn’t theirs at all! They live upstairs, in a much bigger apartment. I don’t really know how to respond. In the ten years of living in different Brooklyn brownstones I have always experienced that the hallway on the floor with your unit is YOURS to do what you will with. Am I wrong? Also, just as the added bonus, the landlord (who lives out of state) does not want bikes in the building at all and it even says it in the lease we just signed. How should I respond? I would like to maintain being friendly with these neighbors, but I really am taken aback.
Rules of the street are that you get the space in the hallway of the floor you live on. That is, if it is tolerated in your building.
I would rather see a stroller or bike than a vacuum.
Tell them to get that DAMNED bike outta there! In so many words of course.
***Bid half off peak comps***
Unfortunately it sounds like you already have an asshole living above you, so you would do well to avoid any nasty confrontation or getting sarcastic or I-know-better-than-you about it, as they could (and probably would in a nanosecond) make your life hell.
That said, I think the best way to approach this is to let them know that you had supposed the space was yours, given you rented that floor, but that after you checked into it, you realized that neither one of you were supposed to store stuff in the hallway and that you would no longer do so and you expected he wouldn’t either. Done.
Next you have to make room for your vacuum cleaner. Try stuffing it into the coat closet. That works for us 😉
Yeah no one is supposed to store anything in hall ways. But ignoring that I’d text them back telling them that you’re using that space and they’ll have to put their bike stand on their floor.
I get that don’t like carrying the bike all the way down but, sorry, that’s the sort of stuff they should have considered before they rented the place.
Hate to echo previous posters comments, but neither your vacuum nor your neighbor’s bikes should be in the hallway. Am surprised so many posters have suggested any other solution. Hallways should be free and clear period – may not be an issue for you and those living below since your egress to the street wouldn’t be impacted, but definitely an issue for your neighbors upstairs and more importantly firefighters who need to get access to a fire.
Fire hazzard….While I can sympathise with all of you, lugginf a bike up to the 4th (me) sucks, but we have to do it.
First of the LL can get fines from the fire dept, and trust me, if there was a fire, the hallways really should not be blocked.
I would call the LL and tell him that they want to install the bike rack, the LL will not allow it probably…if they do, call the fire dept for an inspection.
Fire is no freaking joke.
Hate to echo previous posters comments, but neither your vacuum nor your neighbor’s bikes should be in the hallway. Am surprised so many posters have suggested any other solution. Hallways should be free and clear period – may not be an issue for you and those living below since your egress to the street wouldn’t be impacted, but definitely an issue for your neighbors upstairs and more importantly firefighters who need to get access to a fire.
Wow Pete, bitter much?
Both of you need to keep your shit out of the hallway. In any REAL apartment building you’d get luaghed out for trying to store stuff in a shared hallway, but I guess since both of you live in a MEMEME brownstown you think it’s OK?
Two things at play here:
The hallways are legally “public space” so no one tenant has a right over another to use it as they please.
Anything in these hallways is a fire code violation for which I believe the fine is around $5k for.
I would move your belonging inside the apartment and mention the above to your neighbor. If they procced as planned you can then approach the landlord.
Also, I would check the wording of your lease. Most outline the rules for “usage” regarding these spaces.