Big Apple Management

They are slumlords, completely unresponsive, and nickel and dime-​ing you at every possible turn. After living with a broken fire alarm for three months, a broken front door for 8 months, having a police raid while I lived there, and countless illegal airbnb rentals clearly going on, they still managed to cheat me out $ 100 of my deposit, b/​c they knew that was the maximum amount I wouldn’t bother taking them to court over.
I decided to be present for my move-​out inspection, because they are shifty thieves, not only did the «superintendent» (could not have been more useless or subservient to his pos overlords) try to claim that the kitchen I left immaculate (which was confirmed but I realtor who showed it that day) was too dirty for him to «in good conscience» say it was clean, the classy guy that he is, he also swore at me and told me to go ahead and do what I needed to do, after I merely pointed out that there was nothing wrong with the cleanliness of the kitchen.
But as they were holding my deposit hostage while they showed the apartment, I could not tell all the poor other prospective tenants what a hellhole it was until I got my deposit. My apologies to them, but hopefully before renting from these lowlives, someone else will hopefully see this and think twice.

literally the worst landlord ever. they don’t do maintenance and i had to call the city to get them to fix the mold in my apartment

The long story shortly is not a professional management company. They deserve ZERO star! Rude employees! It’s hard to reach any of them.
Stay away from this company as far as you can.

They deserve zero stars — complete slumlords.
Avoid living in any of their apts at all cost. They make the entire rental process a nightmare. Pay more to literally rent from anyone else.
No one in their office has a brain or can manage a business so your calls, emails, etc will never be answered. Unnecessary, unexplained late fees that we proved were wrong and no one who answers the phone has the «authority» to change it.
During the month before move out, they let random brokers have keys to our apartment and we consistently found our door unlocked in a very busy neighborhood and the office «couldn’t do anything about it».

shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame. and shame!

FUCKING CROOKS.
DO NOT RENT FROM BIG APPLE. THEY WILL COME UP WITH ANY EXCUSE TO CHARGE YOU «LATE FEES» AND NOT GIVE YOU YOUR FULL SEC DEPOSIT BACK. NOT ONLY THAT, THEY WILL NEVER REPAIR ANYTHING IN YOUR APARTMENT EVEN IF ITS NOT YOUR FAULT.
HALONA IS THE DEVIL. Completely unprofessional and unpleasant for no reason. She is scared of in-​person communication so if you can’t get through with phone calls. Show up. She hides behind the phone, saying nasty things to all the tenants but when you come to see her, she pretends she’s not at her desk because she’s chicken shit.
RAY the super, is an incompetent, lazy, piece of crap excuse for a human being.
These people who work under David Ohebshalom and Big Apple are lowly and have no idea how to do their jobs. They are scam artists. Do not rent. If you do, don’t expect anything a management company would normally do to happen. Ever.
I have a million things to list about Big Apple and their wrongdoings but if you really are curious just message me. This company will burn in hell.

TERRIBLE AGENCY!!! worst experience ever! and I have used many agencies so far!
We signed a 3 months lease with my friends. Once we moved in, the agency started to organize visit for other potential new clients while we were leaving there.
we ask to renew the lease, they said no problem, we will do it at the end of the current lease
And when it came to the end of the lease, they told us the price is going to be increase by 1000 each (we were already paying 1300 – 1600 each) WTF???
we figured it out it was just a reason to kick us out
no problem but just be honest in that case
they did not even suggest us new locations, even when we asked.
They are always bullshiting on you, they never email you back or call you back.
Eva, is simply an asshole to be honest. She tries everything to lie to you.
DO NOT DEAL WITH THEM, EVER!
— plus, many things did not work in the apartment, but we never complain about it…

I just moved out of a big apple property.
Rather than write out every single violation of my rights as a tenant and a human that big apple inflicted on me and my roommate, I will simply offer this: please feel free to message me here on Unilocal and I will gladly inform you of exactly what happened and even give you my telephone number so we can talk properly about what living with this management company is like, and though that seems intense, I wish someone would have offered me the option of real insight into these people before i signed onto an apartment with them.
I would be happy to discuss the pros and (tremendous) cons of my living experience under this management company.
to give you a brief preview:
1. no heat on one floor of the duplex the entire winter (but forced to pay rent)
2. dead animals in walls
3. chronic fly infestations
4. chronic mouse infestations (not your average mouse infestation, I’m talking mice crawling over you in your sleep, coming home to six or seven mice just hanging out in your sink, etc)
5. no lock on front door of building OR on front door of apartment
6. violation after violation after violation of the nyc warranty of habitability

DO NOT USE THIS REALTOR. Realtors in NYC are not what we would call the warmest or most trust-​worthy of people you will encounter in this great city. BUT THIS COMPANY IS FAR FAR WORSE THAN THE AVERAGE NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE.
Everything about the process was terrible. The broker we dealt with specifically was Yaniv Cohen. He was unable to answer any of our questions along the process and even made up some claims that in the end were not true. The broker’s fee was changed multiple times in attempts to manipulate us into agreeing to rent an apartment that in reality had a broker’s fee we would not be able to afford. And when the process was completed the apartment had already been rented by another broker at the same company which we were assured would not be the case.
No matter how desperate you are to find housing, credit approval, the «rental of your dreams.» I would NEVER recommend using this company. I agree that Unilocal needs a ZERO STAR rating to accommodate companies like this.

I have nothing but profane things to say about Big Apple Mgmt. No matter how nice it looks, how great it is situated, how desperate you are to find an apartment, don’t Don’t DON’T rent from this management company.
Don’t!
They do not return your phone calls. They only give you a copy of your lease after you show up and request it multiple times and refuse to leave.
Don’t!
They charge you two security deposits and say that the first can be used as a final month’s rent, but then say that is impossible. They charge you for making keys for the apartment.
Don’t!
They do not take care of their properties. It may be recently renovated, but will soon settle, crack, break, or chip and they will charge you for it.
Don’t!
Many buildings have short term rental apartments. The apartments that were rented out in my building were rented to tourists who were not respectful to the building or their neighbors, Frequent turnover in apartment rentals made for fraternity like (smells like beer, urine, puke at times and a decent sized mushroom cloud) or loud hotel like conditions.
Don’t!
The list continues…

BIG APPLE MANAGEMENT IS THE WORST MANAGEMENT COMPANY EVER! I REPEAT REPEAT, NEVER USE THEM. If you were thinking about using them, run in the opposite direction. NOW. I wish I could use the ZERO STAR OPTION.
After a year at (416 E 73^rd street) we’ve had to deal with:
–mice
–cockroaches
–cold showers
–dishwasher that falls out on you (which was broken before we moved in, and is STILL broken almost a year later)
–broken intercom
–UNRESPONSIVE and MEAN super (not live in, barely responds to calls, and when he actually did come to our apartment to fix something, HE yelled at US, claiming that fixing a dishwasher did not fall under his responsibilities as a super)
–To top it off, the office workers are unintelligent, rude and completely incompetent. They do not respond to calls, emails, carrier pigeons etc. My roommate and I were informed that we would receive a document well before the end of our lease telling us if our rent was to be raised, and asking us if we would like to renew our lease. Less than a month from the end of our lease, we STILL have yet to receive this document. In addition, even though we have paid our last month’s rent, we have received a BILL asking to pay again! After 5 days of trying to get in contact with the office, we were informed that their book keeper was «out» so no one could access the system to inform us how much our rent would be raised, and/​or if we would need to pay rent for the month. Rent is due tomorrow. They assured us that their book keeper MIGHT be back in the office this week. Is that how they run their office? Oh also, Tara, the woman I spoke with, told me «not to have a fit» when I spoke to her on the phone. Great customer service. Well guess what Tara, I am having a fit, right here on Unilocal.Oh and I’m moving. Enjoy!

Totally agree with Penny that Unilocal should add a ZERO star option. AVOID this company at all cost!!! All they’re interested in is getting your money without honoring your contract and providing poor customer service.
Example:
1. No cable tv in apt even though it as advertised. After my complaining, they install the service but then charged me $ 230 for the installation and monthly service cost.
2. Internet service basically nonexistent. I would be better off using a dial-​up modem because the wireless speed is extremely slow and goes out frequently.
3. They give no advance notice when showing the apartment to potential renters. To make matters worst, their agents locked me out several times and when I reached out to them for help, no response nor followup.
4. Now I’m getting a runaround for my $ 2,800 security deposit from Eva Sontag for whom I left several by voicemails & emails without any response. Total silence.

Unilocal needs to add a ZERO star option, because this company truly deserves it. I wish I had used Unilocal before moving to NYC, because I would never had rented from Big Apple.
DO NOT RENT FROM THIS COMPANY! I cannot express this enough. Their properties are crap, and their employees are incompetent and rude scam artists.
After returning the keys to their apartment I rented for only a month, I waited for my $ 1,000 security deposit to be refunded. I waited. And waited. And waited.
Eva Sontag at Big Apple had no problem sending prompt emails to tell me where to leave the keys (a week before my lease even ended — she apparently can’t read a calendar and see how many days are in a month), but Eva forgot how to hit the «reply» button when it came to me asking about my deposit refund.
After almost a month, and constant hounding, I saw that $ 750 was credited back to my charge card. So of course, I send an email asking where the rest of it was. I eventually get a response from Eva that they withheld $ 100 for a cleaning fee and $ 150 for the application fee.
I sent her PROOF that my application fee was waived and sent her a copy of the invoice that SHE SENT ME, pointing out a separate charge for the cleaning fee and told her she can’t f***ing double dip. After the email exchange where I shoved that proof in her face, Eva goes silent, and I haven’t heard from her since.
I’m not even sure what to do at this point. I know $ 250 doesn’t seem like a lot of money to most people, but when you’re new in the city, every damn dollar helps.
STAY AWAY FROM THESE PEOPLE! DO NOT RENT FROM BIG APPLE!
I found them on the BBB (to which they are NOT accredited), and am going to file a complaint. I suggest anyone with similar experiences do the same:

I spent two years with Big Apple. They are the worst. I lived at 185 E 3^rd st for two years. The lack of hot water and heat became a norm. Good luck on ever trying to get them to fix anything, they told me they were going to install radiator covers for over a year and still nothing. Just one excuse after another.
And to top it all off, RUDE RUDE RUDE OFFICE PEOPLE.

A rundown of our problems with Big Apple will seem unbelievable — but unfortunately, all of this really did happen. I wish it were possible to give zero stars.
Our woes began with them claiming rent for a date BEFORE our lease began, and asking us to come in and sign a new lease after we had already signed one. (That’s fraud.) We didn’t even have keys for the dates they were claiming. They proceeded to accuse US of fraud, saying we were trying to take advantage of «a typo» (this was the now-​infamous Halona). They continued to illegally claim this money during the entire year we lived there.
The building we lived in had a horrific mouse and rat problem. When we asked them to fix the serious mouse problem INSIDE our apartment, they said we were «attracting vermin» because we had a fruit bowl and some dog food. They did absolutely nothing, and by the end of our stay, there were upwards of 20 mouse sightings a day in the apartment and they were chewing through plastic to get at our food (possibly because we got rid of the fruit bowl and put down dog food at specific times rather than leaving it out all day). The main hallway of the building stank like a rotting corpse for over five months, and people throughout the building reached the point of making near-​daily pleas for resolution, which went unanswered. The only thing that finally sparked action was when the US Postal Service suspended delivery because they deemed the odor unsafe for their employees. Other problems included doors that fell off hinges (even knocking one room mate unconscious); inadequate heat and hot water frequently during the winter months due to a recurring boiler problem; and the fact that there was ONE super for an entire block of buildings managed by Big Apple. That one man was typically friendly and responsive, but there’s only so much work one human being can do, especially in buildings that have so many problems.
To top it all off, when it came time to repay our security deposit, the aforementioned Halona refused. We had to threaten legal action to get Big Apple to even discuss it; they claimed that they were holding it to pay «back rent,» which we did not owe. They illegally insisted that they would only return our money if we took down the negative review here on this site and never repost it. My room mates agreed to that rather than incur the cost and time-​waste of an all-​out lawsuit against them; I was not on the lease and agreed to no such thing, so I’m reposting this.
If you are considering living in a Big Apple building — DON’T DO IT. Run the other way. You will get little of value for your many thousands of dollars. They will attempt to defraud you (they did it to at least three other tenants in our building), and you will find yourself living amongst vermin and possibly stench in a poorly-​maintained building managed by people who regularly commit illegal acts against their tenants.

This company is the scum of the universe when it comes to property management. THE WORST experience. All personnel of Big Apple are nice until you sign your lease, then beware. Ahlana, in the office, is the most terrible person I have ever conducted any sort of business with. ever. We got into multiple arguments in her office over her inability to call me regarding anything, and returning all of my phone calls to her to my previous room mate even though I was on the lease. The ceiling of my bathroom leased by B.A. fell through, and they did close to nothing to fix it. My super was fantastic, and I am so sad that he works for such a corrupt company that is out to rip you off, treat you with NO respect, and their apartments are crap.
If you are looking to sign a lease from Big Apple. DON’T.

By and large it’s been ok living here. Nothing wrong with the apartment, kind of have to prod the super to get him to do anything.
Expect a 10% jump in rent after your first year. Who cares how good management or the neighborhood or apartment or whatever is when your rent jumps 10%? Not fair, not ethical, essentially the landlord is making a bet that you won’t have time to find a cheaper place in the month of August. In my case he bet wrong.
I’m out of here. Will update to say whether I got my security deposit back in a few months.

BEWARE! BEWARE! BEWARE! BEWARE!
This management company is terrible and their apartments are a total nightmare. I rented a two bedroom apartment in the Upper East Side (507 E 83^rd ST) and it was a total nightmare. Not only it’s really FAR from the subway, but the apartments are so small and barely get any sunlight.
Here is a list of some of the major problems:
–They refuse to give you a copy of your signed lease at time of signing. They tell you that they are going to mail it to you, but they never do. Even after several requests, I never got it.
–Some of the electric outlets didn’t work.
–The super installed a lock on the mailbox that was too big, and it was hard to open the mailbox.
–Intercom didn’t work very well.
–Toilets don’t flush very well. You have to flush twice.
–Toilets get clogged easily. Even if you pee, the toilet gets clogged
–The hot water never works in the winter.
–You think you have hot water, and it goes away within 3 minutes and you will still have shampoo on your head and showering with cold water.
–The apartment doors are so old that sometimes they get stuck in the frame and you can’t open the door. It’s a serious fire hazard.
–Some of the radiators in the apartments don’t work at all. The pipe in the bathroom was always hot and the one in the living room cold.
–A bunch of pigeons will sit and poo on the balconies behind the building and all their stench coming into your apartment.
–MICE!!!MICE!!! I think they’re in the walls of the building.
–Rude superintendent. He once told me he had to go get a haircut and that he couldn’t come and fix my clogged toilet until the NEXT day. I was livid and you can only imagine what I told him. He will refer to you as «Look lady!!!» and shout and then complain that he has other things to do then come to your apartment and fix something.
–Rude management company.
I have learned my lesson and I will always reseach the property and management company before moving to any apartment.
My roommate and I were both depressed and miserable. No one should live under these conditions. I ended up breaking our lease after six months. We both couldn’t take it anymore. The mice started coming out around May-​June and they were going for my dog’s food. I couldn’t have any of that. The management company never returned any calls and didn’t care about fixing anything.
If you live here, please send them an email instead and keep it as documentation. I have a feeling they delete voice messages. It’s true beware of Holana. David the owner is a rude son of a gun who will threaten you.
There is a website about the family that runs Apple Management and several other companies (
)

SLUM LORDS!!! no joke! these people are cheap bastards that could care less that tenants don’t have water, that doors don’t lock properly, the mice are running the building, that roofs leak, and that appliances don’t work! within 1 year, we literally had DAYS without water! our roof leaked and no one came to fix it for a week! all the people who come to fix anything broken were morons, didn’t show up when they say said they would, and never actually fixed the problems. i didn’t think slum lords like this existed in soho!!!
if you find a building you like managed by big apple — RUN!!!

If I could give 0 stars, I would. Please NEVER rent from Big Apple Management!
They will not replace your broken appliances, they will not answer the phone, they will not return calls, they will not talk to you if you walk into their office. As another reviewer has mentioned, «incompetent» pretty much sums them up.
Additionally, they allowed brokers to come show our apartment without giving us notice. Unacceptable.
PS: Beware of Halona. She acts «sweet» on the phone, but never, ever responds to requests. I called 9 times before I could reach her.