Encargadas/Porteros

[cujodu]

Anyone else have issues from the encargadas/porteros in their building? Mine is a railing bitch. Everytime there's trash outside my door or on the stairway, she comes knocking on my door and it's NOT MINE. Well, the trash room is next to my apartment, and the neighbors are mostly nasty people who smoke in the elevators, etc, and don't have an iota of consciousness about anything. I've always been nice to the encargada so maybe that's why she feels like she can bug me. But honestly, it's her job to clean so why bother trying to find out if the shit is mine?! I think she hates americans.

 

[perry]

Cujodu This is an interestic topic and one that I have had a lot of experience with in Buenos Aires . I do feel that neighbourly relationships can be difficult and consorcio meetings scream fests.

I am lucky that in my building 90 percent of my neighbours are nice people. I wish you luck with yours.

 

[nikad]

Nah, all encargados would complain if you put the garbage out there out of the scheduled hours to do so ( make sure you know when you are allowed to put the garbage out, else you should keep it until next day, Also remember that on Saturdays there is no collection service so you must wait until Sunday ). If she keeps bugging you, call your Administracion and let them know that what is going on.

 

[rihornos]

You should talk with the administrators, if not make things clear to her that you don`t put the garbage in the hallway and stop her from bugging you. She has no right to go and knock at people`s door without knowing even who did it.

 

[Moxon]

Damn, I think you're in my old apartment building. I know many stories of nosy, spiteful and just plain evil encargados - they are the lurking danger when you find that perfect apartment in that perfect location, you really should be able to interview them before signing a lease agreement.

 

[HDM]

Here's another view. The porteros in our building, all men, and there are at least six, since there is someone to open the door 24/7, are friendly and helpful beyond any reasonable expectation. They even bring the water bottles up and put them by our service door every week. All the public parts of the building are spotless, although that seems not to be the porteros job, and I have finally figured out that some of the men are porteros only and a couple take care of the maintenance. Anyway. I can't believe these guys. As far as our neighbors, we haven't actually formally met any of them, but our chance encounters are cordial and everyone seems to respect the public areas. But then there are the two poodles two floors below ... but, oh well, people sure do put up with a lot from dogs around here.

 

[nikad]

No, sorry, I mean in the garbage closet in the hallway, she is responsible for taking it out to the street. Anyway, there was a little dust on the stairway this morning and she knocked on my door. (I put my garbage in the bin not on the floor nor in the stairwell.) Well, that was about my limit and I laid into her and told her cleaning the building was not MY responsibility. A few months ago she accused me of throwing cigarette butts in the stairwell too. The building is 8 floors and all this can come from any of the 8 apts. on each floor.

Just venting!

Many people complain about odors because of garbage put in the closet thingy out of the scheduled hours, that could be it. However her bitching about the cigarettes and dust just tells me she is one of the b***c type. You should just call the building´s managers and complain about her lack of manners, rudeness, etc ( Administracion ) The truth is that there is a high percentage of shi****y supers but also great ones, I guess you were out of luck there

 

[Recoleta Carolina]

Cujodu,

It takes heroic effort to be from the U.S. and live in Buenos Aires! All foreigners have it tough but Americans have it worse. I have never been able to completely figure it out but it doesn't really matter. That's just the way it is.

I would pass on the suggestion to tell your administrator (unless you know your administrator very well). Usually, the administrator and encargado are in bed together. And, even if they are not, they are not going to go against each other for a foreigner.

Just keep your area clean. Keep to yourself. Don't give the people in the building any justified reason to complain about you (they are going to find many unjustified reasons on their own to complain about you). If the people in the building are nasty I can guarantee you that things are not going to improve. They will either stay the same as they are now or they will get worse over time.

I would consider moving if you are renting. If you own, I would seriously consider selling. But, obviously, that is easier said than done. And, I wouldn't do anything before really checking out the next building, neighbors, administrator, and encargado very carefully. They can all make your life miserable.

My building is the building from hell. It makes all of your stories sound like a day at the beach! Most foreigners have their own horror stories but usually do not admit it or else they have perfected the art of looking the other way over time.

 

[Davidglen77]

I live in a small building (6 units) so we only have a part time encargada a few days a week. She is extremely nice an keeps our building immaculate. When I first moved here, I lived in a larger building (40 units) where the encargado did no work at all, building not clean and full of large roaches. I have come to learn that the union that represents the building workers, called SUTERH is one of the most powerful in all of Argentina, and nobody wants to have to get involved with them if it's not necessary. If the entire building is unhappy with the encargado it's very expensive to let them go. The building's consorcio has to pay a certain amount of severance pay + other benefits if the building decides to to let go of a building employee.

 

[RWS]

Quoting "cujodu": ". . . . no one knows revenge like an American . . . ."

Interesting. Fourteen generations in what're now the United States, and I'd never have thought this.