Category: Q&A

Q I live in a condominium and we just had our annual election. Each year, new people run for the board, but the existing board members solicit proxies in order to remain on the board. As a result, five “old-timers” seem to make all the …

Q I am a shareholder at a 49-unit co-op in Manhattan. For the past five years we’ve had a vacant unit on the third floor as a result of excessive noise emanating from the apartment above. The past and present boards have not initiated an…

Q I have a question about raising the maintenance fees on a condo. Is there any set limit or percentage? Case in point—our maintenance fee has been the same for 17 years. Now the board of managers has raised it 40 percent. I was payi…

Q Our condo has prohibited the use of doormats. They say they are a hazard. Is this legal? How can we fight this nit-picking rule? —Annoyed in Brooklyn A “As with so many issues that arise between unit owners an…

Q I’m a past president and current shareholder of a co-op. The current board is saying—that two years ago when I was president—I am responsible for decisions that the majority board decided back then. My apartment is for sale and the…

Q I live on the fourth floor of a condominium project, and management has advised that they will shut down the elevators for two months. They claim they will arrange to have staff assist people with carrying up groceries, etc. Howeve…

Q We have a shareholder who has posted notices around our co-op that condemn the co-op and the board. They are in plain view of potential buyers. When the buyers read these notices, they refuse to even look at the available unit that…

Q From downstairs at times I can hear the kids who live in the apartment above me jumping around. The owner has a rug down sometimes, but not at others. The board president has hardwood floors, even though it says in the bylaws that …

Q We are having a few issues with our co-op board and the management company. Since the new management company has been ‘in power’ (about three years) the maintenance payments have been raised more than 20 percent in two increases. The …

Q I’m a board member of co-op building. We have one member of the board who is a real estate broker. He brought one issue to our attention. Our co-op is an owner of a very small piece of land that is adjacent to another building near o…