I'm interested in the table lamp that doubles as a security camera, which was in the New Products section maybe a month ago. (It's here: http://www.habitatmag.com/publication_content/previous_new_products/brickhouse_nightvision_dvr_spy_lamp)

Does anyone out there have experience with surreptitous security recording? I see security cameras hanging from buildings on the street all the time, without a sign saying "you are being videotaped." Do we need to put a sign in our lobby if we've got a security camera? Is the law different for an obvious security camera, no matter how small, or a hidden camera? A lot of elevators have essentially hidden cameras, with no "you are being videotaped" signs.

Before I go to the rest of my board, I want to have good information, and wanted to check with fellow board members before going to the board attorney and racking up fees.

First step: Put everything in writing to the board and send it certified. Be brief and precise. Tell them they are violating the warrent of habitability by not completing the project.

You said you had mold around your A/C. Is the A/C yours according to the PL or the co-op?

Obviously,the managing agent and/or the board should have provided you with the intended scope of their work.

To inspect the sleeve, the A/C had to be removed from the sleeve. If the A/C was yours, you should have removed it to facilitate the inspection of the sleeve. This is very similar to changing windows in a co-op. Residents are requested to remove drapes, furniture and other furnishings since this is personal property.

Obviously, the co-op assumed the removal of the A/C so that the inspection and removal of the sleeve could be done. In such a case, the co-op should have placed your A/C back and avoided further complaint. If the co-op did not do it, it should have informed you that putting the A/C back was your responsibility.

Finally, if the sleeve was rotted, but the condensate water was damaging the front wall around your unit, it was probably due to an incorrect pitch of the A/C when it was installed. An A/C should be pitched a tat higher up front so that condensates evacuate through the back of the sleeve and out the building not through the front and into the internal wall of the apartment.

So, make sure your A/C is installed correctly by lifting the front a bit. This will avoid water and mold growing on the internal wall. In fact, if the A/C was incorrectly pitch and this was the cause of the mold, it stands to reason that YOU own the mold remediation as may be caused by your own equipment.


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Document, document, document.

Take your case to your local community board and ask for their help in pushing for action.

Type in Noise in the Search box above and you'll see a string of postings and replies e.g. these and more:
Noise/Responsibility AliceT Fri Feb 8, 2008 9:12AM
S/H who have a complaint to write (just one line) to the Board. Otherwise, -- you can make an anonomous(sp) call to 311, or call the police -
* Question about a noisy neighbor — BP, Wed Feb 6 3:47AM
I'm looking for some suggestions. We have a Sh who's complained to the board/mgmt every few months for 2 years about noise at all hours by her next-door neighbor - blasting music, screaming phone... more
o ATTORNEY Letter on behalf of the Board — Wits End, Thu Feb 7 6:29AM
Start the paper trail now. Co-op's attorney needs to step in and get the ball rolling - with a notice of complaint letter. If you have a management company, they too should get involved.
o noise — Batch, Thu Feb 7 3:36AM
The offender's actions affect more than one shareholder, which makes it a board responsibility to handle. Why have you been waiting for the shareholder to do it? Call the DEP. Call 311. Call the police. Call an independent noise specialist to record the decibels. Don't force the shareholder to do it, that's the board's job.

Please keep in mind that the above discussions referred to co-ops, not condos. There is no warranty of habitability in a condo, which makes it much harder to pursue noise complaints against neighbors.

In my experience, 311 is largely useless except for creating a paper trail. So call 311 to record your complaint and get a reference number, then call the police if the noise is really bad.

If the noise is severe enough to cause visible shaking and loud thumping, take a video and put in on YouTube, then send the URL to everyone in your building.

This sounds like a terrible situation and I'm sorry you have to endure it.

One way to test conflict of interest is as follows: If there is any seed of doubt, then it is said to be a conflict of interest that requires disclosure.

In this case and to avoid any seed of doubt, the board member in question should abstain from being an offficer of the corporation, i.e., abstain from being president, treasurer (the most dangerous of the positons since management controls the checking book) and secretary (second most dangerous position as the custodian of the corporate records). Finally, the shareholder should abstain from any discussion relating to the performance of the management company and the person should be protected by the management company by not being named manager of the property in which the person holds shares.

The other shareholders and board members must recognize that the shareholder in question has a large financial interest in the builidng and just like the other shareholders expect the builidng to remain financial stable and well-managed.


Many read great problems relating to this situation; however, it is well known that the CEO of major American corporations, in addition to being the top manager of the company and an employee of the corporation, sits on the Board of Directors and holds a substantial shareholder interest by virtue of holding shares of the corporation by way of compensation or even individual purchase.

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First of all you should have your past water bill analysed for overbilling ASAP.

You can try either of these companies. They do NOT charge up-front but, rather, take a percentage of what they save you. You can google them for the phone numbers.

Okeefe and Associates: they charge 15%of what they save.

Ashokan: charges 1/3 or about 33%.

Thanks a lot for the info.

Could you give me some contact info for O'Keefe & Associates? Googling turned up no such firm/individual.

Hi Newbie - I cant find it either. but the other company comes well recommended.

Habitat has done at least two article about this. I found them by typing "noise law" in the Search box on the front page.

The first one explains "Local Law 113 of 2005," which went into effect last year. That should provide you with the ammunition you need. It's at http://www.habitatmag.com/publication_content/2007_october/web_exclusive_adaptations/noise_complaints_and_the_new_2007_law

There's also a newer article at
http://www.habitatmag.com/publication_content/habitat_s_purchasing_primer_news_for_new_buyers/noise_complaints_when_is_loud_allowed

Since terraces and patios are part of the structure and property of the co-op and residents are only given the right to occupy them privately, I would say that the co-op would be able to provide guidance on their use and maintenance. (Don't co-ops restrict decorations, planters, floor covers, etc. on terraces and patios?) Consequently, regulating human activity in these areas, knowing that such structures and patios may be adjacent to the windows of other apartments, can be subjected to house rules. Some may argue that noise coming from the street, i.e., sirens from ambulances, fire trucks or noise from pedestrians cannot be regulated. This activity is somehow regulated by laws and ordinances to make the life of city dwellers a better place to live.

In cases where there is no prescribed house rules prescribing the reduction of noise after a certain time of the night, boards can always appeal for consideration to neighbor. Finally, as neighbors, we may speak with the offending neighbor by being tactful. For example, my neighbor would go to the terrace to speak on the cell phone at 11:00 pm and the voice carried over my bedroom. The neighbor's terrace is just adjacent to the bedroom. When I saw the neighbor a day or so later in the hall, I only commected to the person that I was also part of the conversation and the confidences the previous night night. I reminded the person that I was resting in my bedroom and the conversation was totally audible. I reminded the person that for total privacy, the apartment should be used. The person laughed and never used the cell on the terrace.

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We had a natural gas contract that at one time we thought we would extend via a blend and extend amendment to our agreement. We elected to “ride it out” rather than force ourselves into a convoluted contract. As fiduciaries, we did not want to start playing in the volatile futures market with the vagaries of the speculators who tend to drive prices. Our natural gas contract has expired and we are happy where we are.

Blend and extend is not a simple calculation. One does not take the average of the old rate and the new rate and then simply construct a “blended” rate as a number of factors must be taken into account. The remaining term, volume/quantity commitment are factored into the the extension term. Then, there is the cot of money as the fuel oil supplier has made a commitment to purchase at a certain rate. This commitment is now to be spread over the remaining months.

Sure, it is easy to look a cost $x for ten months and cost $y for twenty-two months, but is that where you want to be?

Sorry no other advice available.