Charging to use the elevator? Has anyone else seen something like this?

A friend just sent me this (it wasn't his picture) of an apartment community that allows the residents to use the elevator free for 60 times, and then charges them $35 a month if they use it more! The stairs are still free though...

What do you all think of this?

Here is the notice:

I think this is kind of foolish and short sighted, and could be the kind of thing that could deemed discriminatory against people with disabilities.

Really? Are you sure you're not being punk'd.

If it's true, I'd be the first resident bringing up a class action lawsuit against the owner.

Is it October Fools Day?

Leigh,
There is actually a larger version of the image, but I cropped it to keep it anonymous. Pretty sure it is real, unless another resident posted it up as a joke. But I doubt it...

Besides the already mentioned discrimination that this may constitute, turning a free amenity into a (nearly) required payment is a gamble that should be thought-out and planned carefully. I have to think this tactic will be about as successful as Bank of America asking customers to pay a monthly charge for their debit card services. When BOA did that to me, I thought of all the money in my accounts and wondered what is next? It was the principal of the matter that made me consider moving my accounts elsewhere. Management should retract this and perhaps raise rent percentages next year 5.001% instead of 5% to offset the cost, if this is in fact the reason.

So the burning question is WHY? If they are offering 60 "free passes", it probably is not an economically driven request so why are they doing this? Are they trying to regulate usage because a few particular residents are creating a commercial atmosphere and they want to curb the traffic? If this is similar to the reason they are attempting this, I still assume the idea was not well planned. Or received.

Apparently Huffington Post picked up the story: www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/28/landlo...vator_n_3829672.html

And here is the reply from the original poster:

Full Update: Apparently Reddit Works! The signs are gone and management claims they never put them there and despite their history of trying to squeeze revenues by forcing trash removal, hiking rents by a few hundred bucks a month, and charging for everything else they can think of... rest assured our elevators are safe. Thanks Reddit.

Note to Huffington Post and other reporters... you can stop calling, management denies placing the sign, there is no story here.

So no way to know if it was an official attempt by management to charge for using the elevator. It could have been them trying to get more ancillary income, or it could have been a sarcastic reply by a resident because they didn't like the rent/fee hikes they apparently had gotten lately.

If you were to guess, which do you think it was?

Looks like a resident was one unhappy camper. :evil: It will forever amaze me the childish things people do. :unsure: What ever happened to "Let Go and Let God"? :cheer: It even made it to MSN "Now" now.msn.com/redditor-claims-landlord-pla...e-extra-for-elevator . I am thinking, if this was actually true and not a prank as it obviously is, a newsletter on company letterhead would be the manor in which residents would be told. In hindsite though you have to laugh, the actual "idea" is kinda funny; actaully got me thinking that as an able body individual we really should use the stairs when they are an option.

As long as there are concessions made for those with disabilities (same concept as with waiving a pet rent), then use of an elevator is really a convenience. Of course, one could also argue that it is an amenity of the community like a swimming pool however, so is an onsite laundry facility that residents pay to use. I can't say I disagree with the idea necessarily.

Tanya,

I feel the elevator is a practical amenity to offer for Properties other than Garden-style. If it was a low-price point community, I would worry how it further affects my budget and what else may be pinched down the road, as a renter. If it was a condo-style high-rise luxury community, I would expect this to be inclusive and wonder if they have a traffic or safety issue they are trying to curb.

Do you think it would not affect retention and current traffic once implemented, or overall occupancy moving forward? Is there enough value from proceeds to justify renting the elevator inside their rental community, or is there another benefit from this as well for the Property?