Save Yourself. Don't move here.

I have lived here 4 years, starting with MetLife and ending with Tishman Speyer (lack of) management.
MetLife wasn't great, but TS has no concept with the fact that good market-rate tenants are gold and TS should be doing a little extra to KEEP us not raising our rents so high that we are forced to move out.

We love the location and the apartments are huge, yes. BUT, the laundry room is dirty, washers are always broken, junky broken bikes are stacked up in the bike room, my bike was stolen, we constantly have ---- roaches no matter how clean we are, the noise from younger people and students warehousing themselves 3 to a flat travels at all hours of the night through the building, the walls are so thin you can hear your neighbors having sex, they ve outsourced their billing department to India and I've been on hold for 2 hours with a question about my rent bill (no one ever answered and voice mails left went unreturned) and the WORST--the rent hikes.

You would think after 4 years your landlord would try to keep you'
Nope, our rent has been raised almost 60% since we moved in. The year TS bought the bldg we were not offered a 2-yr. lease.
In Stuyvesant Town a 2-year lease is one rate for the first year ($3200) and an increase for the second year ($3450). Nevertheless you are able to 'lock' in a price, which we did last year thinking we were doing the smart thing as we knew we would not have the shock of a 22% increase like we saw the year before.
Now, we are stuck paying $3450/month for a one bedroom instead of $3000 which is what they are currently trying to rent out a comparable apartment (as the market has dropped).

We've tried to talk to the leasing department---they wouldn't even return our phone calls. Fed up, I took the morning off work and went in person and they REFUSED to meet with me! I finally got a hold of someone through my persistence, but no dice.
We signed the lease and we're stuck.
But, if they'd worked with us, we probably we still be good tenants and living here next year.
They don't seem to grasp the concept that we are their customers and we will NOT be returning.
We were stupid for signing that 2-year lease last year, but you don't have to be.
Save Yourself. Don't move here.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 01/17/2009
I am with ya! I moved in 7/2004. I started out paying $2,200. Now I pay $3,100. I was offered a similar increase last year(to yours) and I did the same thing- took a day off from work. The girl behind the desk at the leasing office was like, no one is available today, can't you come back tomorrow. And I was like, nope, i've got nothing else to do, i will just sit here all day until i can talk to someone about my lease. After 30 mins. I was surrounded with IDIOT COLLEGE Kids being brought in by brokers with creepy smirks. Seriously, this 22yo (from Boston) next to me tells his broker/realtor/whatever, "My Dad's gonna do all the paperwork for this, i just want to see how big it is. ...How's the bars around here, Man? Is there a lot of chicks in this area? Cuz I like to get laid". OMG REALLY?!?!?! really dude? you just said that out loud in an office in front of adults?...Anyway I turned to him and said, "you know, once you move in, they are putting a Ferris Wheel in the center of the Oval and your rent is going to go up like $1,000 in a year. This place sucks! I live here, let me tell you about it." It was like moths to a flame, everyone wanted to know the inside scoop. It didn't take but 30 seconds for the woman at the desk to call my name as loud as possible, and say someone would see me now. Wow, surprise, surprise... Don't want me talkin', do ya? They offered me, ...get this... an 8 month lease as an alternative. What?? Why??? But I knew having my lease be up 2/2009 was way better than 7/2009. I have been keeping track of the fluctuating rents here and they are much lower in jan/feb/march than any other time. Anyway, I took a gamble and signed it with a slight increase. I just got my lease renewal and it went up 0.0 dollars. But now I have College Brats living above me and dog urine in the elevator constantly!! The 2 bedroom right next door, has been vacant since 8/15. It was gutted with all the new stuff put in, I live on a high floor w/ a great view near 18th and 1st and that apartment is still vacant...hmmm... So, now I will take another day off from work and say, "If I am paying $3,100- I want one of those newbies w/ stainless steel appliances and marble bathroom." ..I want another 1 bedroom at this price and i'm sure there are plenty of vacancies...

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