Fissures in walls and doorways: housing controversy surfaces in Nur-Sultan
Upstanding Citizens, Fed Up with Their Faulty High-Rise:
Living in the concrete jungle of Almaty's capital has become a living nightmare for residents of a high-rise condominium. With cracked walls, open entrances, and zero heat, they blame their elected chairman for their predicament. Here's the lowdown on their struggle.
Built in 2007, the age of this high-rise has long surpassed its manufacturer's warranty. Yet, its inhabitants are compelled to live without the bare necessities.
Ruslan Akhmetov, a city dweller, shared his harrowing tale, "I stepped foot into this building, and a bloody brick fell near my head. Now, we're stuck dealing with this mess. We confront the chairman of the KSK, but it yields no results."
Residents allege that one of the building's entrances houses unusable batteries, allegedly due to the chairman turning off the heating last winter, causing the pipes to freeze. Even after replacement, the issue persists. Sagat Sultanov, another resident, added, "He snatches the batteries, slices them up. Witnesses saw it all. A freakin' ton of batteries were collected in a Gazelle and sold as scrap metal. He just shrugged it off. Can you believe that?"
The entrances of the building showcase ugly cracks and deformed doors that refuse to budge. The windows stare vacantly at the residents, who fear that one day it might all come crashing down upon them.
Residents claim that the condominium fund collects around a million tenge monthly, but there are only 8 employees on the staff. Not one of them seems to bother cleaning the entrances. The chairman of the KSK, Bauyrzhan Ospanov, declined to meet and clarify the situation, offering only terse responses over the phone. "No, I can't comment. These were the developer's problems. I am the KSK. The work is done according to the collected funds. We're only here to maintain services, ya dig?" he concluded.
The capital's city administration recommends electing a new chairman of the condominium association. However, the residents demand that the chairman first rectifies the defects and carries out the required repairs using the saved funds.
To tackle this situation, consider the following steps:
- Document the Issues:
- Take detailed photos and videos of the cracks, gaps, and any other maintenance issues.
- Keep a record of dates and times when there is no heat.
- Organize Tenant Meetings:
- Call a meeting with all tenants to discuss the issues and plan a collective approach.
- Ensure there is a clear consensus on the actions to be taken.
- Formal Complaints:
- Write a formal, collective complaint to the chairman, detailing the problems and required repairs.
- Include photos and videos as evidence.
- Engage Local Authorities:
- If the chairman does not respond, contact local housing authorities or building safety inspectors.
- They can assess the situation and order necessary repairs.
- Legal Action:
- If all else fails, consider consulting a lawyer to explore legal options such as filing a lawsuit against the condominium management.
- Public Awareness:
- Use social media or local news to raise awareness about the situation, which can pressure the chairman to act.
- Checks and Balances:
- Regularly review financial statements to ensure that maintenance funds are being used appropriately.
- Open Communication:
- Maintain open lines of communication with the chairman and other tenants to ensure everyone is informed and involved.
- Stay United: Collective action is more effective than individual complaints.
- Research Local Laws: Familiarize yourself with local laws regarding tenant rights and building maintenance.
- Document Everything: Keep detailed records of all communications and actions taken.
- The residents could document the issues by taking detailed photos and videos of the cracks, gaps, and any other maintenance issues in their high-rise condominium, as well as keeping a record of dates and times when there is no heat.
- To address the problems collectively, they could organize a meeting with all tenants to discuss the issues, plan a consensus on actions to be taken, and write a formal, collective complaint to the chairman, detailing the problems and required repairs with evidence.
- If the chairman does not respond, the residents could engage local housing authorities or building safety inspectors to assess the situation and order necessary repairs. As a last resort, they could consider consulting a lawyer to explore legal options such as filing a lawsuit against the condominium management, and they could use social media or local news to raise awareness about the situation, which can pressure the chairman to act. Additionally, staying informed about local laws regarding tenant rights and building maintenance, and keeping detailed records of all communications and actions taken, would aid in their fight for proper living conditions.
