Franklin Court 3-5 Franklin; Hudson North Management Rent At Your Own Risk! White Plains, New York

There were other postings with similar complaints and corresponding rebuttals regarding this property but unfortunately, I didnt see them until after Id moved in here.  They may not be readily visible on this site. 

Unit 2N showed well but as time elapsed, the poor workmanship and below-builder-grade finishes were exposed.  Cosmetic repairs were made mainly throughout the kitchen and bathroom but repairs are shoddy and piecemeal.  Unit should be totally gutted.

The kitchen cabinets are cheap and were not level and/or plumb when installed as evidenced by bowing and the crookedness of the doors.  Within a month of living there, the bottom shelf of one of the upper cabinets actually became UNGLUED.  When I contacted one of the owners? his remedy was to send over a handyman who installed random screws for support!

I was told by the realtor that drywall had been placed over the existing walls to provide better soundproofing between the common walls however; easily identifiable noise can clearly be heard from units next to, below and above me (see comments regarding 3N).  Cigarette smoke and cooking smells also permeate the structure.  The paint is cheap and it doesnt appear that the walls were primed before they were painted.  As the colder months set in, drywall tape seams are noticeable and the paint has separated where old cracks exist.

The most shoddy repairs are visible in the bathroom.  The plumbing is the worst.  The toilet is the old tankless kind usually found in pre-war apartments.  I had to call the super countless times as the water continued to run, or the toilet stopped flushing completely (the handle mechanism intermittently stops functioning), or the water valve leaked.  After flushing, a back flow occurs and makes gurgling noises afterwards.  Old caulking is visible behind the toilet at its base.

The water cannot be fully run in the bathtub or sink, and at the same time, because the drainage is poor.  The pipes probably need to be replaced.  There are permanent large white drip marks in the bathtub where an unprofessional attempt was made at re-glazing.

This past summer, both buildings (3 and 5) had a serious roach infestation due to the lack of proper garbage disposal by the residents.  The compactor room on each floor is now locked so garbage and recyclables must be brought down to an open area directly across from the mailboxes.  Comically, I noticed handwritten notes being posted in the "refuse area" informing shareholders of the proper manner to sort the garbage and recyclables (how were they doing it before???).

Six months after living there, there was a leak in the bathroom ceiling where disgusting shower waste water was coming from the unit above me, 3N.  Two months after that, the toilet overflowed in the same unit above so again, disgusting water leaked into my bathroom but this time via the visible hole around the heating pipes which run between the apartments.

In January, the intercom system stopped working for a couple of weeks so you were unable to "buzz" anyone in-- you had to physically go downstairs and let them in.

 In terms of the property management, it's poor.  As a renter, you're expected to adhere to the same house rules as the shareholders such as installing carpet and maintaining property insurance etc., but without any of the benefits.  For instance, you have no privity to the Board if you encounter problems that cannot be resolved by the management.  The Account Executive hounded me to confirm that carpeting was installed in my unit yet the resident in 3N never had carpet AND has a DOG!!!  It's tantamount to sharing an apartment with a roommate.  You can hear everything!  I complained immediately, the super confirmed she didn't have carpeting but nothing was done about it.  I got the runaround, then contacted the owner, who's an attorney, who in turn went back to the Account Executive.  I was even told 3N would be fined until they complied. Yeah, right.  The resident herself (whom I had never even met before then) approached me and acknowledged the noise.  Yet every morning beginning at 5 am and throughout the day, there's constant noise from the dog barking and playing throughout the apartment.  You would think there was a group of three-year-olds living there instead of a 43-year old.  Even the contractor who was there to make repairs from the leak called her by name and commented on the noise from her heels on the hardwood floor.  I complained in writing to no avail (some letters the owner says he never received).  When I last complained in April, the Account Executive informed the owner that she personally inspected 3N and there is carpeting.  Current phots show show bare floors with a couple of area rugs.  So the account executive is a liar.  I was told by the owner that I should contact the Account Executive if I continued to have problems as he doesn't live here- he's just he owner.

While the property does have good heat & hot water, is secure and conveniently located near downtown, it is old.  The population is almost all-white, with the majority of the people above middle-aged.  There are some younger families here but for the most part, they all act as if they've never encountered people of color before.  I can think of about four people here who were nice and spoke to me from day one and I don't even see them that often (two are neighbors on this same floor).  And just as one of the other Posters stated, some of the few minorities here DO act high and mighty!  I don't understand where the hubris comes from; you would think that Franklin Court was some kind of exclusive sought-after residence.  There's newer constructed homes and rental properties nearby with all kinds of modern amenities.  Yet 3-5 always has units on the market.  If you view the MLS listings and look at the comps, it's clear that renovations and upgrades were made by some of the shareholders but they're still not selling.  This apartment was on the market for six months before the owner decided to rent it out.  That should have been a red flag for me.  I doubt if it would even pass a home inspection.  Their website is even outdated and has misspellings.

When I first saw this place, the wood in the elevator looked freshly polished and the basement walls and floors must have just been painted.  That's not the case now with the most wear and tear visible in the basement.

For the concerned resident who defended the building and felt that problems should be expected because of its age, I beg to differ as they cant attest to someone elses experience.  I lived in a pre-war building for ten years and NEVER experienced these kinds of problems, because the property was well maintained over the years and PROPERLY renovated.

Franklin Court may be great for a short term rental or a starter home but not a longtime investment.  RUN from this place as fast as you can.  RISK and LIABILITY  If you're a renter, No Board Approval means NO access to the Board so good luck if you have any issues that need resolution.