...grrrr. Well, there is always some kind of drama with NYC apartment hunting and here I am once again. The first time around it was adventures in cashier's checks. This time around it's cold feet on the part of the building's management company. For this building it's Manhattan Skyline Management.
Let's review the hoops I've jumped through so far, shall we? I called about an apartment that was $2200/mo but that apartment was 'gone' so instead I chose a $2400/mo apartment. I filled out an application, I put in a deposit, I paid a credit check fee, I provided all required documentation within 24 hours (copy of driver's license, two paystubs, two bank statements, employment verification letter, first two pages of last 2 years' tax returns, etc.), I make very close to 40x the rent and with bonus will be close to the 45x this building wants (ridiculous) yet I STILL provided the same amount of documentation for a guarantor, I gave a check for ANOTHER credit check fee. I have been nothing but proactive for this entire process. And now you are telling me you're not sure if I make enough to live in your building? Please. I realize it must chafe you guys a bit that you have to rent some of your apartments below market levels. Don't think of it as losing money. Think of it as paying it forward.
Let's review, shall we? The reason you had openings in the first place is because a whole bunch of people in the financial industry lost their jobs and had to move out of your building. I work in the Internet Industry's fastest growing sector -- hosting. While other companies are laying off, our company is hiring. I realize I don't make $11 billion per year (yet) but I have been living in rental housing for 7 years and in that time I have never paid my rent late. That is at least 84 on-time rent payments and counting. Above that, I'm a quiet tenant. The loudest thing I do is blog! (Sad, I know.)
So which would you rather have? A trust fund baby who trashes your apartment, is obnoxious and fucks you over before moving out by not paying the rent for a few months because they just do not care? Or someone who has been clawing for money their entire life, who gets it and knows to pay their bills? God, I am so angry right now!
Yeah, I'm prettyupset right now.
Here is the deal. After being told I was all set for my apartment after a long week and a half process I was just waiting for a call from Manhattan Skyline Management to set my lease-signing date. And then lo and behold last night I get a call from the leasing agent saying that they're not sure I make enough in salary. What? Seriously? You told me I was all set! I have already notified my current landlord that I'm moving out because you said I was all set. You were calling me to set a lease-signing date! That's what you said! You said my application was approved but you wanted a guarantor as backup! This is why I get so nervous about this kind of thing. Good faith is no longer good faith. I knew it wasn't a done deal until I had a signed lease.
First of all, Manhattan Skyline Management, your requirements for living in this rent-stabilized building are exhorbitant. 45x times the rent is 5x above the standard. Furthermore we have been going through this rental process for almost 2 weeks. You have had my application for 12 days. You couldn't mention this before? You waited until AFTER I gave you a cashier's check deposit? What am I supposed to do now? I should mention that your two leasing agents have been mostly a pleasure to deal with but that doesn't make up for this.
Don't answer. Because I know what I am going to do. I am going to research every damn thing I can find in the god-forsaken city rental resources and come to you on Monday armed with enough information and evidence in my favor to bury you. Let's just forget about this little performance anxiety episode, set a lease-signing date and let bygones be bygones. There is no other option. BFF M just went through this exact same thing. Her management company came to their senses and realized peeps like us are ideal residents. Want to wake up to the same thing, Manhattan Skyline?
I'm going to go stew for awhile. Thanks for ruining my weekend, Manhattan Skyline Management.
7 comments:
I just had a similar experience with Manhattan Skyline. They are nasty and nuts. I have lived in a NYC apartment, I have owned a NYC co-op, I have a home with a mortgage and I have never jumped thru so many ridiculous hurdles as with MSM. One of their personnel is so nasty...she should be fired on the spot. All i can say is, that if you get a gal whose last name sounds like what she is, a
----, get ready for inexcusable treatment!
couldn't agree with you more. This poor excuse for a property management company should be investigated. I've lived in one of their units for the past 4 yrs now, never had a late payment and they still insist on treating me like a total jackass. Never and I mean never returning my calls or emails. Nobody in that company is at their desk when I call. It's like they're permanently out to lunch literally and figuratively. Absolutely no respect for their tenants. The workers there should pretty much all be fired.
I would have to say in the Management department unfortunately I was transferred over to an intolerable unprofessional individual by the name of Laura! The bad attitude was astounding and was not called for. She sounded like a person who is miserable with her job and her life. Is it hard to talk in a professional and courteous manner? I guess for her it is.
just went through the same thing a couple weeks ago. These people should be investigated and sued. I have never seen anyone conduct business this poorly and its only in New York that this company would still be in business. RENT FROM SOMEONE ELSE
I went through the same thing with these people. And they say "NO FEE". Lies. I had to pay $5000 in their broker fees + $5000 guarantor fees + deposits + application fees. And they immediately jack the rent up as soon as possible. They gave me a hard time because I didn't have a certain amount of money in my checking account. ?? Dumbasses. There are paydays. I just wrote $14,000 in checks to get into your imbecile-ran building.
Great blog. Sounds like a nightmare. You would expect in Manhattan for the leasing process to happen overnight , or at least in a day or so in a professionally managed building, rather a small private landlord. You would rely on good faith when going into a lease agreement ESP as the term is exaggerated in the actual lease itself. I cant believe the leasing agent already pre-approved you prior realizing documentations don't match up to their standard policy days later. The moving process is stressful in the first place and with the moving parts involved such as arranging movers, giving current landlords notice in advance to avoid security deposit hold up, etc . You would expect the leasing agents handling these bldgs to understand this concept - yet they don't . They just don't seem to care. Good faith these days is as good as booking a round trip to Australia with someone direct on site, then being informed after you packed your suitcases, made sure your bags don't go over limit and step on the plane it's going one way. Just a nightmare experience leasing agents dont understand.
My husband and I moved into a MSM/Soho Mews building a few months ago and are dealing with the same issues as everyone else on this blog. They never ever answer their phones or respond to our messages. The super of our building ignores us when we try to get help with he brown water, mice, broken locks, broken intercom, etc, etc. They gave us such a hassle to move into this 150 sq ft dump!
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