Dear John: I live in StuyTown, and about a year ago I was ill and had to call 911.
The New York City Fire Department responded by breaking down my door, even after me telling them I could answer it. StuyTown made me buy a new door to the tune of $1,700. That was the tuition money for my college course at Baruch College.
So this term I couldn’t go back to school and am out a lot of money. StuyTown also refused to lower the bill.
I find this upsetting as I am an elderly and disabled lady. Can you help me? A.A.
Dear A.A.: Even before I called, StuyTown had lowered your bill by $200. That represented the late fee on top of the $1,500 door repair.
And, I’m told by you in a subsequent email, that you have since moved out of state.
So the question is only about the $1,500. And since you moved, I guess you aren’t going back to Baruch.
I really wish I could have helped you here. But this is the problem.
When the FDNY is called in an emergency, they are going to do whatever they can to get into your apartment or your house when that is the case. And I’m told you called 911 twice, and one of the times you told the operator that you couldn’t get out of bed.
Firemen don’t really like breaking down doors. But if they think someone’s life is in danger, that’s what they have to do.
And when that happens, someone has to pay to fix the door. And it’s not fair to the other residents of StuyTown to foot that bill.
I don’t know if $1,500 is an unreasonable price for a door in StuyTown. But I looked up the average cost of having a door installed in Manhattan on a website called HowMuch.com, and it said the price was $2,000. And that doesn’t include any damage to the frame that might have occurred when they broke the door down. Or painting. Or damage to the lock.
Anyway, at least you are safe. I hope everything else works out.
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