‘Sick and tired’ – No heat or hot water for 1 year at Soundview condo, tenant says

Bloom Cambry, a tenant at Leland Garden Condos in Soundview, says she has had to bundle up in her own home for almost a year now.

News 12 Staff

Jan 24, 2021, 2:19 AM

Updated 1,428 days ago

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Bloom Cambry, a tenant at Leland Garden Condos in Soundview, says she has had to bundle up in her own home for almost a year now.
The city's Department of Buildings told News 12 the saga began with a gas leak at building on Story Avenue in Feb. 2020.
The complex owners and their licensed plumber obtained permits almost two months later to repair and restore the gas, according to the DOB.
Still, Cambry says she has no hot water.
"I can't get a nice hot shower, I have to be heating up water to take a shower. They don't care because they go to their nice, warm house," she says.
Sean Coakley Plumbing and Heating finished the job at the start of this month, passing the final inspection. However, the DOB says the plumber has still not requested "gas authorization" – the last step in getting the gas turned back on.
Condo owners say they have had to use space heaters to stay warm, which drove up their electric bill. They say management will reimburse their maintenance fee of $500 a month for three months, but they want to be reimbursed for at least six months.
In a phone call, condo management accused the DOB of "holding everything up."
A DOB spokesperson responded, saying in part, "Our top priority is always the safety of our fellow New Yorkers. We stand ready to expedite the review of any additional gas authorization requests from the plumber."
News 12 called the plumbing company hired for the work, but they have not returned the call.