Why Couldn't I Have Been Born Into a Wealthy Existence?

[wlotus]

The management of our apartment building mailed us notices detailing the electrical work they intend to do to the building as soon as the proposal is approved by the city. They finally plan to upgrade the wiring and install circuit breakers, which is GREAT and long overdue

Comments

[sophiaserpentia]

According to this,
http://www.sbls.org/index.php?id=85
landlords might be told they cannot increase the rent even after their capital improvement project is improved.

Hopefully the monthly increase will not be much, if anything at all. :)

(edit for clarification)

[wlotus]

Come to think of it, the rent should at least stay the same (if not go down), because electricity will no longer be included in the rent.

I don't know that they intend to raise the rent; I was speculating on the worst case scenario, as I tend to do in situations like this.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that you are right. :-)

[saffronrose]

No circuit breakers? Just how old IS this building?
Now, apparently this house was built in the laste 50s, and not all the wiring (eeek!) is grounded. Any time we have any electrical work done, more grounding happens. We did not read enough of the fine print, obviously.

[wlotus]

We still have fuses! I believe the building was built in the 40s or 50s and has all the original wiring. We also don't have any sprinkler system.

[rockbirthedme]

Do you know hospitals use fuses? In a power surge, a fuse will always blow, but a breaker may fuse across the gap instead of opening, risking equipment and possibly causing a fire. Breaker boxes are safer in private houses not because breakers are inherently safer, but because breakers are idiot-proof. If a circuit blows repeatedly, a breaker forces you to get an electrician to rewire it, but too many people are tempted to solve the problem in a fuse box by replacing a 15 amp fuse with a 20 amp, which is dangerous.

*grin* Houses built in the 40's and 50's are kid stuff. Walk up to an electrician who works in old houses and say, "Knob and tube." Be prepared to catch them -- they'll likely faint.

[wlotus]

Your fluency in Greek is quite impressive! I tip my hat to you. :-)

[greenminions]

I wonder if the management can write off the improvements as part of energy efficiency or something. If so, then raising your rent is even more distasteful.

Is this a co-op building?

[wlotus]

I'm not sure they are going to raise the rent; I am just speculating on the worst case (as usually, huh). If anything, the rent ought to go down a bit, as electricity will no longer be included in the rent.

The building is rent-controlled.

[greenminions]

Yes, that negative thinking strikes again. I think the tenants could make a good case though that the rent should go down if the electricity bill is being handed over to you in the event that they try to raise it. So maybe the net loss will be low or nothing at all to you.

Keep us posted!

[openscarf]

"What if I considered a more positive set of possibilities?

What if I continue to have enough, even though I don't know how that will be possible? (I don't have to know how, just like I don't know for sure the worst case will happen.)

What if we are able to make everything be alright?"

Great thought progression. I'd go even further and suggest that now that you know you may be paying more either in rent or electric, and that you will spend less on groceries, or eating out or whatever, NOW, just stop thinking about it. All is well. It's just life. You have what is important.

[wlotus]

You are right. Continuing to think about it wouldn't help. Thank you.

[labellerose]

Just keep swimming. You'll find a way. You always have.

[wlotus]

*splash splash* :-D