A costly inconvenience has some Harlem tenants boiling mad. Susan Jhun filed the following NY1 for You report.
There's no spark for tenant Danielle McCier, who lost her cooking gas over two months ago and has had to get by since then without basic services at Lenox Terrace in Harlem.
I'm spending almost $100 just out to eat," she says. "They gave us a single electric burner. They're not paying our electric gas or our electric bill."
Nor are they paying McCier's laundry bill that's come from sending her clothes out since the lack of gas has also shut off the laundry machines in her building.
It's a frustrating situation for McCier, who says building management notified tenants when gas was shut off to the building back in early January after a gas leak was discovered.
However, McCier claims since then, management hasn't given a definite timeline for when repairs will be completed and gas restored.
"We've stayed home for the gas people to to drill holes, but there's nothing that's been told that they're going to do to accommodate us," McCier says.
NY1 for You contacted Lenox Terrace, and a spokesman for management told us, "On behalf of our valued tenants, our plumbing contractors and staff are working diligently within the required protocols – as set forth by the New York City Department of Buildings and Con Edison – to alleviate the situation as quickly and as safely as possible."
Now, management tells us paperwork has been submitted for the completion of more than half the gas lines in the building and that the DOB is set to inspect this Thursday.
In the meantime, the spokesman said a laundry room is available to tenants in another building on the property.
Additionally, the spokesman said management has been and will remain keeping tenants updated on the gas restoration.
McCier and other tenants have filed for rent reductions as they wait eagerly for gas to be restored.
NY1 for You will keep you updated.