How do I get my apartment complex to fix their gates?

UnknownSaint

The title pretty much says it all. Here's the situation, broken down into convenient little bullets.

-My apartment complex has two seperately functioning gates, one for entrance and one for exit. They are connected, but the actual moving gates are seperate. You get the picture. The entrance one (right side going in) is always open, and has always been open. This is a problem they basically refuse to fix. Every time I ask, they simply say it is broken. This has been about two months now.

-The constantly open gate problem leads to two things. One, people that aren't supposed to get in are getting in. Let's ignore this for the time being and focus on problem two. When people are leaving the complex, they have the annoying fucking habit of driving out of the already open entry gate to save the two god damn seconds of waiting on the exit gate to open automatically. At this point, they are driving on the wrong side of the road on their way out.

-On the main street that intersects the road, because of some hedges and block, it's almost a blind corner going into the little inlet that leads to the gate. Because of people exiting through the in gate, in addition to people turning in this nearly blind corner, this creates a lot of potential for headon motherfucking collisions. I have had to hit the brakes hard when I'm turning in to the tiny road in front of the gate from the main street and some asshole is leaving out of the entry gate. This isn't because of me speeding, it's just the road is that small so you're practically in front of the gate when you turn.

-I insisted to my management that if they don't fix the gate problem, they should at least add some sort of reverse spikes so that people can no longer leave through the entry gate and create this problem. The lady talked about pitching this to the higher ups, and would notify me if anything were to be decided. This happened weeks ago and I've heard nothing, and nothing has been done.

So what can I do? Is there any way to force them to either fix the gate, or add something that will deter people from leaving out of the constantly open gate, resulting in potential head on collisions?

Djeet

There's nothing you can do. They'll fix it when they feel like it. If they do fix it, it will break in some fashion within 2 weeks of their fixing it. Often when it breaks, it's because some [strike]drunk[/strike] stupid fuck couldn't get in and somehow forced it open; that or it breaks in the closed postion, the quick fix for management is to force it open and leave it open. They damn sure aren't going to install things that could possibly damage someone's tires. This has been an issue at every apartment complex I've ever lived at, nicer apartment complexe$ tend to be more on the ball in fixing it.

Edit: If there is a seasonal move-in/move-out time (school semester starts/ends), the gates are just going to be open for awhile at those times of year.

khain

I would recommend asking them to just leave the exit gate open until the entrance gate is fixed since having it open and close does nothing if the other gate is broken.

illig

i'd suggest they leave the other gate open as well... mention that this will reduce their liability in case someone does get into an accident at the entrance... corporations tend to react quickly when there's a potential for increasing or decreasing liability since they get sued so much

Tofystedeth

illig wrote: »

i'd suggest they leave the other gate open as well... mention that this will reduce their liability in case someone does get into an accident at the entrance... corporations tend to react quickly when there's a potential for increasing or decreasing liability since they get sued so much

This. Definitely bring up the liability angle. This is the easy fix for them, maybe people will quit being stupid.

vytrox

After quickly reading over the landlord tenant law in California, you cannot withhold rent or send the state after them since parking is considered an amenity. If they have made an express or implied agreement to maintain these gates, then they are liable and you could take them to small claims court. This would be if it states in the lease that they will (express), or if the advertisement said secure parking, or something to that effect (implied).
You have no power to get them to put in tire spikes, and I guarantee you they wont. Make sure you make a request to fix it in writing.

Don't threaten legal action unless you actually intend to pursue it though. Either way it will just make them hate you.

California Landlord's Book

Iceman.USAF

I think it's all in how you present it. If you come in saying you're going to sue the pants off them, you'll get nowhere. If you talk about how they could potentially be liable and you'd hate to see them have to deal with that because some idiot did something moronic, well then that might get farther.

Trowizilla

If you've been an exemplary tenent and there's not a housing shortage in your area, you could say that the gate issue is pushing you towards not renewing your lease. You chose the apartment partially because of the gated parking, it's making you feel unsafe, and you'd hate to have to leave a place you otherwise really like and planned to stay in for a long time, but... Generally, they'd rather keep you than have to deal with the hassle of renting the apartment out to someone else, plus the risk of lost revenue if your place sits empty for a couple months.

Bringing up the safety/liability issue is probably good, as is the suggestion that they leave the exit gate open.

JaysonFour

...so these gates are supposed to keep non-tenants from getting access to the parking areas? It might have to take you asking if thier liability insurance covers someone pulling a smash-and-grab robbery or grand theft auto. Maybe they could be sued for damages if this happens? Or if it's the gate in and out of the complex itself, well, if something were to happen to a resident and it could have been prevented by them fixing the gates... maybe they'd be found liable in court and get righteously rear-ended for a nice chunk of change.