VNSTA sends letter to Equity VP Frances Nolan re shoddy electrical work
The Van Ness South Tenants Association today sent a letter to Equity Residential Senior Vice President Frances Nolan, requesting that she take steps to improve sloppy electrical work at 3003 Van Ness and that she states whether or not the workers replacing electrical outlets are licensed electricians.
See an example of the work below, followed by the letter to Senior VP Frances Nolan. Residents report that almost all outlets that are being replaced are left in this condition.
Dear Ms. Nolan,
I am writing regarding Equity Residential’s slow and sloppy effort to replace electrical outlets in the kitchens and bathrooms of apartments at 3003 Van Ness in Washington, D.C.
As you know, the DC Department of Buildings discovered in a building-wide inspection of the property that most units lacked Ground Fault Interrupter Circuit (GFCI) outlets, that are required by the housing code and that are necessary for preventing possible electric shock or electrocution. This serious safety issue was discovered last September; however, Equity’s efforts to replace the old outlets have been glacially slow and still are not complete.
In addition, the people Equity has hired to do the work have done sloppy job, leaving a dark outline of dirt around the outlets (see attached photo), leaving bits of wire and other materials nearby, and moving residents’ personal items without putting them back. Moreover, the workers, who appear to be third-party contractors, have been entering residents’ apartments without being accompanied by Equity Residential employees.
The slow pace and sloppiness of the job raises questions about Equity’s commitment to its customers. It is hard to believe that corporate executives would be proud of the work displayed in the attached photo. This is not an isolated example – this photo is representative of most units.
The shoddy work also raises questions about the qualifications of the workers. Are they licensed electricians?
We request that take steps to clean up the mess around the outlets as shown in the attached photo, and that you make sure that the contractors have the necessary qualifications to do electrical work.
Sincerely yours,
Harry Gural
President, Van Ness South Tenants Association