u/dgobaud

I am in The Epic (NYC / Fetner Properties) building in a unit behind the trash room on an upper floor. I got the building plans and confirm behind the kitchen wall is a cavity with mechanical risers in it and it is adjacent to the trash room.

The microwave outlet in this wall measures almost 100 degrees(!) with an IR thermometer and leaks in warm air that smells. Other outlets like the hall outlet not connected to this wall are not warm like this eg the hall outlet showed 76.

I know from scope photos there is a gap between the electrical box behind the cabinet and the wall. Hal Fetner himself replied to emails and refuses to fix this.

I've had HPD and DOB inspect. DOB found a violation with the electrical outlet but all they did was install an outlet extender which has not fixed the odor issue and the temperature readings were taken after that. Hal Fetner refuses to remove the cabinet or open the back of the cabinet to fix and seal the wall gap.

Also the right cabinet section on the right of the microwave is dirty and smells. Hal Fetner also won't open and clean it. They tried to clean it from the top but they obviously can't and failed. More info at https://theepicnycreview.com/

Has anyone else dealt with a concealed problem like this that is hidden from inspectors so inspectors can't see it? It seems landlords can hide problems like this which isn't right.

I am in The Epic (Fetner Properties) building in a unit behind the trash room on an upper floor.

I got the building plans and confirm behind the kitchen wall is a cavity with mechanical risers in it and it is adjacent to the trash room.

The microwave outlet in this wall measures almost 100 degrees(!) with an IR thermometer and leaks in warm air that smells. Other outlets like the hall outlet not connected to this wall are not warm like this eg the hall outlet showed 76.

I know from scope photos there is a gap between the electrical box behind the cabinet and the wall. Hal Fetner himself replied to emails and refuses to fix this.

I've had HPD and DOB inspect. DOB found a violation with the electrical outlet but all they did was install an outlet extender which has not fixed the odor issue and the temperature readings were taken after that. Hal Fetner refuses to remove the cabinet or open the back of the cabinet to fix and seal the wall gap.

Has anyone else dealt with a concealed problem like this that is hidden from HPD and DOB so inspectors can't see it? It seems landlords can hide problems like this which isn't right.

Also the right cabinet section on the right of the microwave is dirty and smells. Hal Fetner also won't open and clean it. They tried to clean it from the top but they obviously can't and failed. I forgot to upload the photos from after that attempted cleaning but they are at https://theepicnycreview.com/

Does anyone know why NYC HPD inspections are effectively setup to serve landlords? It's as if inspectors work for landlords.

This Mayor Mamdani HPD inspection example is nothing like what happens.

1. You file a 311 maintenance issue online and it's sometimes impossible to select the right issue and the same goes for the operators on the phone.

2. Inspectors come out ask default questions about mold, etc then strictly adhere to the assigned issues and will not look at anything else.

Even when an issue is concealed and they should close it as unable to inspect instead they are systematically closing as no violation.

4. In case of unsafe fire hazard electrical outlets like is clearly my case with the faceplate installed on the inside of a combustible cabinet(!) they close as no violation instead of escalating to Departments of Buildings and I suspect the same is true for my suspected non-compliant refuse room adjacent wall that I think should be firestopp and doesn't seem to be.

5. Landlords use closed issues to threaten tenants, claim no violation, and claim harassment by the tenant! Fetner is doing this to me. Luckily I got to Department of Buildings and they issued the electrical outlet violation.

6. Inspectors are not proactive like in the video at all. They effectively close their eyes to issues if they weren't on their list.

This is my experience from dealing with issues in The Epic in Manhattan owned by Fetner in NYC documented here https://theepicnycreview.com/

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced similar?

This needs to be fixed. The system is extremely setup to serve landlords.

Then there is the whole issue with filing an HP Action requires going to the court and waiting hours or returning for the judge to sign the papers. Most people can't get so much time off work. It should be online obviously along with the hearing itself!

I have published this info in a public evidence archive called The Epic NYC Review dot com. Prospective tenants should review the underlying info and draw their own conclusions.

Immediately upon moving in I noticed my apartment had a recurring foul odor that was strongest around the kitchen. My E unit is directly next to the building’s trash room, which I repeatedly observed to be extremely hot and foul-smelling. The kitchen shares a wall with that area.

After repeatedly investigating the odor myself, I documented multiple physical conditions, including a dirty refrigerator, extensive dirt and debris inside the microwave, wall openings around plumbing, a kitchen wall opening, a kitchen electrical outlet with a gap around it, and a dirty cabinet area where the odor became stronger when temporary tape was removed.

Management ultimately replaced the refrigerator and microwave and sealed the bathroom pipe openings. Those repairs confirmed that the conditions I reported were real and improved some of the problems. However, the primary odor issue around the upper kitchen cabinet and electrical outlet remained unresolved despite repeated maintenance requests, inspections, 311 complaints, and extensive correspondence even with Hal Fetner directly.

I also documented air around the cabinet area remaining substantially hotter than the room, consistent with my repeated observation that warm, foul-smelling air appeared to be entering or accumulating there. Hal refuses to fix the electrical outlet or clean the cabinet cavity. He only offered to let me terminate my lease by August 31 and then said August 1 which would force me to find new housing during the peak Manhattan rental summer period so I refused and filed a Housing Court case HP action against them.

I was also promised a one month gift concession after 60 days but they didn't have it and wouldn't even provide an ETA so I filed a small claims court case against them after which a few days later they gave me the gift card.