Two meters in three family illegal according to DOB?

We bought our three family brownstone (with letter of no objection sanctioning legal use as a three family) in July, but it has two electrical meters (something I’ve seen many times). We redid all electrical in the two rentals, one of which has it’s own meter, with the other one running off the main meter. We had our inspection yesterday and while the electrical work passed inspection (yay) we received a violation because we have two meters in a three family building and it’s apparently illegal to include utilities in the rent(?!). My electrician had not heard of this before, and afaik the meter situation should be grandfathered in (untill such time we decide to upgrade them), particular given the letter of no objection. I’m going to talk to the DOB once I get the official violation in the mail, but wanted to see if anyone can chime in; it seems as if the inpector might be mistaken in this particular case. (Don’t get me wrong, eventually I’d like three meters, but not quite yet). Thanks!

slightREobsession

in Dept. of Buildings (DOB) 13 years and 4 months ago

4

Please log in, in order to post replies!

4 replies

Newest Oldest

rugbyroadii | 13 years and 4 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4921 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4878 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "179377"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(11) "rugbyroadii"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$B3.nBzrHlBxu2PWvEKhg.EH7dBE5zi."
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(11) "rugbyroadii"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(22) "bgfischer565@gmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(53) "http://bstoner.wpengine.com/forums/users/rugbyroadii/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:41:03"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(11) "rugbyroadii"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(179377)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

If it is 3 family you need 3 meters (one for each apartment) plus 1 for the common areas.  I own a 2 family.  I have one meter for each apartment and 1 for the porch, basement and hallway.

Bklnite | 13 years and 4 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4920 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4919 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(4) "7850"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(7) "Bklnite"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(7) "bklnite"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(26) "walter.wallace@verizon.net"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(49) "http://bstoner.wpengine.com/forums/users/bklnite/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:14:37"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(20) "1V5ZMAVHXeMndDuQZnyh"
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(7) "Bklnite"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(7850)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

I’m no expert – electricians, architects, expediters would know better. My guess is that it’s an inexact science predicting what the DOB will do. If you have to bring the electrician back to cure the violation, I’d ask for break in price on the additional work he has to do. Here’s a related post – question is similar; I’m blocked from seing the replies in the forum archive.

http://brownstoner.staging.wpengine.com/forum-archive/2010/08/splitting-elect/

Bklnite | 13 years and 4 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4916 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4922 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(4) "7850"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(7) "Bklnite"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(7) "bklnite"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(26) "walter.wallace@verizon.net"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(49) "http://bstoner.wpengine.com/forums/users/bklnite/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:14:37"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(20) "1V5ZMAVHXeMndDuQZnyh"
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(7) "Bklnite"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(7850)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

I think what OP was saying electrician never heard of is that “it’s apparently illegal to include utilities in the rent”. It would surprise me if the law said you can’t charge a fixed rent that includes electricity. It makes sense that you can’t have the tenant pay the bill for the “main meter” if it includes the owner unit and common areas. You probably would been able to get away with leaving it w/ 2 meters it if you didn’t do the new work that required permits. The possibility of a violation for the # of meters is something your licensed eletrician should have known about.

daveinbedstuy | 13 years and 4 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4921 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4923 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(4) "3864"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(13) "daveinbedstuy"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BtJYyObAQmff2MQp.qFP7/kmwU1bBZ1"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(13) "daveinbedstuy"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(19) "djl135e54@yahoo.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(55) "http://bstoner.wpengine.com/forums/users/daveinbedstuy/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:23:53"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(13) "daveinbedstuy"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(3864)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

“My electrician had not heard of this before” Is he licensed?