Bye, Bye, Beto

[Davidglen77]

The apartment owners of my building, hopefully, will be rejoicing soon, as our feared and fearless portero will be leaving. His is taking our offer and will leave in a few months
It is my thinking that our 14 unit building doesn't need a live- in portero. Our current guy does almost nothing. Why should we pay someone to stay in a rent free apartment and watch television all day? Of course he gets a lot of benefits, at our expense.
I spoke with a neighbor, yesterday, who said that all buildings with more than 5 units must have a portero. A portero who comes to the building, everyday, would be fine, but not one who lives here. Perhaps we misunderstood each other?
I'm wondering if anyone lives in building with more than 5 units that doesn't have a live in portero?

The law DOES NOT require that any building with greater than 5 units must have a portero. It simply sets out the guidelines which define how many hours the portero can work if you do have one. This "law" appeared in the newspapers a few months back and caused a lot of ruckus, it was quickly clarified by the head of the SUTERH union, which all porteros are affiliated with. If you have worked out a deal with your portero to "buy him out", then make sure you have a contract written up by an escribano well versed in employment law that states he rescinds his right to any subsequent legal action against the consorcio, pending the acceptance of your offer.
http://www.gustavosylvestre.com/noticias/los-consorcios-pusieron-el-grito-en-el-cielo-con-razon-porque-lo-que-se-dijo-es-falaz-dijo-victor-santa-maria-del-suterh/

 

[jp]

We had a portera, the wife of the old portero who took over when he got sick. Her job mainly seemed to involve smoking outside the building, and complaining about things that made the entrance dirty (like people walking on the floor)

The day we moved out, she helpfully told us that it would be impossible, because our downstairs neighbour would have to move his car so we could lower our sofa out of the window and he could only do that in the morning before he went to work, and "administration policy" dictated that we were only allowed to move out during a 3 hour window early afternoon. There was no way on God's green earth we were going to be able to move out in three hours, and I didn't really fancy abandoning our belongings so being wicked, morally bankrupt people we brazenly defied the administration policy and started moving out in the morning. She had a fit. Mostly because we weren't obeying policy, then because the team of movers left footprints on the floor. I mopped the floor once we were done, but a few people entering the building had to walk past dirty foot prints. The horror...

Getting a portero job in a good building is like winning the lottery. Not sure what it is about having an undemanding high paying job with ludicrous benefits (a rent free top floor flat in las canitas must be a bitter pill) that makes people so angry and miserable.

 

[mimyr]

Has anyone seen a portero actually DO anything?

One fearless portero prevented me from leaving an apartment building once. It was the first time visiting the country and I didn't realize you get locked inside. Too bad I had left my sleeping ex's apartment and couldn't wake her up again by knocking. He instead decided to march me back up to her apartment, pounded on the door until she woke up, and then yelled at her for making him work.

Anyway, I live in a 10 apt building and we don't have a portero.

 

[nlaruccia]

The portero in my building washed and scrubs the floors every morning at 6am, washes the glass doors, and takes the garbage out at 9pm every night. When I travel for long periods of time he watches my car and turns on the motor occasionally so it doesn't die. I've lived in other buildings with porteros who didn't do much, but I got lucky in this building.

 

[pauper]

The portero in my building washed and scrubs the floors every morning at 6am, washes the glass doors, and takes the garbage out at 9pm every night. When I travel for long periods of time he watches my car and turns on the motor occasionally so it doesn't die. I've lived in other buildings with porteros who didn't do much, but I got lucky in this building.

Do you have any tips on how to get lucky with your portero?

 

[camel]

Do you have any tips on how to get lucky with your portero?

I don't think that came out the way you meant.

 

[pauper]

I don't think that came out the way you meant.

I don't think you know me very well.

 

[TomAtAlki]

We have a good portero also. He does everything that Nlaruccia's does, except for the car part. We don't have one YET. But I have seen him wash other people's cars.
Nancy

 

[fred mertz]

What is considered a "full time" portero? Does "full time" mean someone who works a 9-5 M-F (L-V) or someone who lives in the building and is available 24//7? cbonanni said that their 10 unit building has a portero who lives next door.
The owners of my building plan to replace Beto, immediately after he leaves. He is now on an unpaid sabbatical.. He is living in his apartment rent free, while negotiations continue.We now have a guy who has been working 6 days a week. I guess they got him from Portero Temps Ltd. Need a portero? Hire a portero

 

[Gringoboy]

This has to be 'Thread of the Year'
Solid Gold, particularly JP's footprint post, which actually had me on the floor holding my sides.