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20 NEW ENGLAND CONDOMINIUM -JUNE 2019 NEWENGLANDCONDO.COM 185 Devonshire Street, Suite 401, Boston, MA 02110 Quality Representation at Reasonable Rates. (617) 988-0633 Contact Attorney Frank Flynn: FRANK@FLYNNLAW-NE.COM Flynn_E4C.qxp:Layout 1 12/8/14 2:30 PM Page 1 thority to step in under governing docu- ments if they can’t get hold of the owner for necessary or emergency repairs.” The extent of liability to the owner or the as- sociation or corporation depends on the specifics of the situation. Was the pipe break within the purview of the owner or the co-op or condo according to the governing documents? Toscano explains that repair work is often dictated by in- surance. Is the damage covered under the building or homeowner’s policy? According to Alex Seaman, Senior Vice President with HUB International in Woodbury, New York, “Unit owners are legally and financially responsible for these types of losses. If they have a home- owners policy, they can make a claim. All damage to any unit as a result of their negligence is the homeowner’s responsi- bility.” Other Potential Problems... The damage from burst pipes is not the only potential problem resulting from disappearing neighbors. Such issues could include mail and packages piling up, voting in the event of an emergency meeting, and illegal sublets. The most obvious of these problems is mail and package delivery. “If the mail- box gets full,” says Halper, “and let’s re- member that most apartment mailboxes force and the housing market, younger individuals and families are seeking the highest level of technology in everything. And for them, that technology is phone- based. “To a great extent,” says Ron, “the type of upgrade will depend on who lives there. Millennials require all the technol- ogy bells and whistles. They often choose residences based on the tech available. The high-tech nature of these systems is also good for landlords, as they can pass the cost along to tenants.” In co-op and condo situations, the more current the technology, the higher the price a share- holder or owner can ask, should they need to sublet or lease out their units, or when they sell. Maunsell confirms this trend. In downtown Boston, where the residential demographic tends to trend younger, the demand for the highest tech amenities, including intercom and other building entrance options, is very high. “When you have ‘cruise-ship’ living,” he says, “it’s all about amenities. Millennials with money to burn want the best. They prefer mobile phone-based apps.” A Case in Point When preparing to take on a new cli- ent building, Ron asks a good number of questions before his crew sets foot on the property. He wants to know who lives in the building; he asks the board what it is seeking and why, and makes an inspec- tion before making recommendations, which can run from installing all-new wiring to a phone-base app, to leaving the current system in place as-is. In one recent instance, he was con- tacted by a cond-op building in New York City. The 32-story, 586-unit property was built in the 1960s and was in excellent condition. The property had doorman service, but the board was seeking to re- wire and install an LED video intercom system to all the apartments in the build- ing – a job that could cost upwards of $500,000. “They didn’t need it,” says Ron. “I convinced them not to re-wire because it wasn’t necessary. They have doorman security. There was no point to putting in cameras with screens in all the units. What would they see – the doorman let- ting the delivery through? There was no need for an upgrade.” Suburban Options Security issues are not limited to ur- ban environments such as New York or Boston, of course. They are found in suburban condo and HOA developments as well. Often, the needs of those com- munities are driven by the age of the property. Like any system in a housing community, intercom communication systems can become obsolete, or may suf- fer from simple deterioration and require replacement. In these situations, explains Maunsell, the owners often want only telephone entry, and adding that to their phones is a big upgrade. In our world of ever-increasing tech- nology, intercoms entry systems can be just one more problem solved through our cell phones. Today, it’s all in the palm of our hands. n A J Sidransky is a staff writer/reporter for New England Condominium, and a published novelist. VIDEO... continued from page 17 are quite small – the post office will sim- ply hold the mail at the post office, even without notification from the receiver.” In a building with a concierge or door- man, larger packages will be accepted and kept in a storage area, Halper explains, until the unit owner returns. In a build- ing without a doorman, the problem can become worse, as theft of packages from unattended lobbies is already a concern and becomes even more so when parcels pile up and gather dust. When it comes to achieving a quorum for building meetings, there can be no vote if there aren’t enough shareholders or unit owners in attendance. There is no way around it. “But most boards,” says Halper, “are fully vested in most deci- sion-making situations and issues. They don’t need a broad vote of ownership to make a policy decision. Governing docu- ments should authorize email or elec- tronic meetings and decision making.” On the issue of illegal sublets, the an- swer is quite simple: if governing docu- ments in either a co-op or condominium prohibit leasing of the unit without per- mission, both the owner and the illegal sub-lessee are subject to penalties, fines, and even eviction. Don’t try to rent out your unit at a profit and then try to convince anyone that your “nephew” is staying in the apartment for a couple of weeks. If you want to lease out your unit while on an extended stay away, go about it properly and according to the commu- nity’s rules. In the final analysis, deciding to leave your apartment unit unattended is your decision. If you do leave it empty, con- sider your neighbors. Leave keys, contact information and instructions, and a have a good trip. n A J Sidransky is a staff writer/reporter with New England Condominium, and a published novelist. ABSENT OWNERS continued from page 12