Awful Super. Lazy Landlord.
Pros
Close to train. Affordable.
Cons
Super Luis consistently does not show up when he makes an agreement to and will not fix things, or complete jobs he starts, in a timely manner. Landlord does nothing to hold him accountable. In the years I’ve lived in building I’ve seen her once. When I’ve complained to her she lets me know that moving out is always an option (might consider once this lease ends). Super & his family will be passive aggressive if you complain to landlord. English is second language for some in the building. If you speak with an accent his daughter will advise you to ‘learn English.’ Issues with building don’t get resolved until it’s past the breaking point or until you complain to the city. They refused to fix a tree branch growing into and breaking the facade of the building until it began affecting the apartment on the other side. Heat in building is spotty when it first gets cold. Super is supposed to turn it on when it reaches a certain temperature but since his basement apartment does not have the same heat as the building (they apparently use electric heaters?) he will not notice. Also, there is a backyard that is exclusively for the use of the super and their family. If you live with window facing the yard get ready for loud summer bbqs during weeknights that last until 2-3am (you can usually hear them when you enter the building).
Advice to the owners
Be involved with the care of your building.
Great place in Kew Gardens
Pros
I've lived in the building for several years now, and I've never had any huge problems. Nancy (the landlord) has always been very nice to us, and Luis (the super) and his family are readily available to help out when needed. The rent is very reasonably priced for the area, and the building is relatively quiet. For those who have cars, parking around the building is incredibly easy.
Cons
There is a playground to one side of the building that can get quite loud during recess, and on another side of the building there's an empty lot that can kick up dust (which occasionally finds its way inside if you like to leave windows open). The floors must be relatively thin or otherwise not well insulated, because you can pretty easily hear people walking around and talking.
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