I Write Letters

Dear Landlords,

I would like to request that in future, when someone is to be given the key to the elevator (at $MY_ADDRESS) to reserve it for their own use for an indefinite time (ostensibly to move out, but being done in such a way as to keep the elevator out of service for anyone else for the maximum time – loading directly into the elevator from the apartment’s rooms and directly into the truck from the elevator, rather than using the hallway to stage the move), that the tenants be given at least a day’s notice of same, as we are with other events in the building, such as turning off the water or clearing the parking lot.

While it might be a matter of no moment for most tenants to have the elevator out of service, for those of us living with physical disabilities, the elevator is a crucial element of the building’s services, besides being listed in the Tenant Agreement (section 12) as a right of tenancy.

All it would take is the few moments to put up signs saying that the elevator will be out of service for a certain number of hours on a certain day, before the day. Then those of us for whom “please take the stairs” is a cruel joke rather than an invitation would have a chance to arrange our days accordingly, rather than finding out as a nasty surprise on arriving home.

It would be better still, of course, if those moving in and out could be asked to be considerate of other tenants (by staging the move: apartment to hallway, call the elevator, move into the elevator, arrive in lobby, unload elevator, release it, and move the stuff to the truck), but I expect that's too much consideration of the needs of others to expect in 2010.

Given that the presence of the elevator was one of the central services to interest me in living in this building, as opposed to other buildings of similar size which are “walk-ups”, I don’t feel it’s unreasonable that the needs of your differently-abled tenants be given the same consideration as all the others in the building.

Thank you,

(CaitieCat)