coop attorney versed in roof rights?

we purchased a top-floor co-op apartment about a year ago that included roof rights. we’ve just started exploring building a railing so we can add a deck–as of right now there’s nothing in place–and have been informed by a local rooftop designer that the co-op is legally obligated to provide us with a 42-inch fence around the perimeter. any help/insight/experience with a similar situation would be greatly appreciated including a referral for an attorney. thank you!

parkslope101

in Co-Op Related 10 years and 1 month ago

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brokelin | 10 years and 1 month ago

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Assuming this is a brownstone or other small building, your coop is not going to pay for the railing. And why should they, really? (I don’t know about larger, newer buildings.) The coop will have approval rights over what you plan to build. If you expect them to pay anything, you will never get a plan approved. And, because it is true that decking can damage roofs, it is common for the coop to make sure roof repairs are covered by the deck owner. Many owners of roof rights in small coops give up on building a deck. It creates liability for the coop – not just for roof damage (without even getting into the question of whether the current roof is in any condition to support the weight of a deck + people), but for your furnishings flying off in big storms, for water damage from leaks, and for your guests’ injuries or behavior up there. You, and not the coop, will be on the hook for all that, and rightly so – as it isn’t a common deck.

parkslope101 | 10 years and 1 month ago

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good advice! agreed that we should ideally go back to the original attorney, but we were not super happy with her and we were hoping for a referral. thanks for posting!

resident2 | 10 years and 1 month ago

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Read your co-op plan and the “roof rights” that you think you have. Each plan is written differently and the rights for roofs are not all the same in every plan. Any roof deck designer that told you what your rights are does not have a clue! I am assuming you bought the apartment for the “roof rights”? go back to your attorney that represented you in the purchase and should have reviewed all this with/for you, to explain what rights you do have and what are the obligations of the whole building. I have seen many co-op plans that make the whole roof the responsibility of the top floor owner with the “roof rights”.

Putnamdenizen | 10 years and 1 month ago

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You might want to pause before demanding that your new neighbors and fellow owners pay for a railing for your new deck.