4 ms·

This is not the time to play with city workers lacking in proactivity and/or competence. This is lawyer and/or representative time. Escalate the issue (ok, he's

This is not the time to play with city workers lacking in proactivity and/or competence. This is lawyer and/or representative time. Escalate the issue (ok, he's doing this with the video) If the payment was done, that shows intent on renewing the license. Might be worth nothing, might be worth something. Do you think if the city sits on a permit renewal by Chase or Starbucks that they'll diligently sit and wait? Yeah, right...

apercu 5y ago
Agreed. Sue the city. That will get someones attention. Well, maybe not in NYC. I honestly don't know.
- omegabravo 5y ago
  Seeing a lawyer doesn't necessarily mean suing the city, it means someone who can navigate rules and regulations
  - jonny_eh 5y ago
    Or even know who to call to take a closer look.
  - apercu 5y ago
    That's fair, I just meant if the stern letter from a law office (which I am sure New York officials get weekly) didn't do anything.
warent 5y ago
Why is this being downvoted? It seems like perfectly reasonable advice and one of the first things that came to my mind as well. Is there something in the video that happens which is causing people to vote this down? Edit: instead of silently voting me down too I encourage someone to provide thoughtful written discourse expressing your disagreement so we can all grow and learn together
CapitalistCartr 5y ago
Unfortunately, the hard truth, in America at least, is you have to hire a lawyer for these problems. Most such problems magically disappear that way. It's unfair, but it's how it works. It's a lot like needing to bribe an official to get something done: if you don't understand, the system seems impenetrable.
- xeromal 5y ago
  IDK, I see a lawyer as a positive benefit. Sure, some city, state, or federal employees are incompetent but at least there is a means of getting help if you're desperate enough.
- EricE 5y ago
  lol - all systems have rules and gatekeepers. After all, all systems are operated by humans. Governments, corporations or other large organizations are not magical entities that exist in a vacuum - there are humans at the core of all of them.
- jonny_eh 5y ago
  I'd take "hire a lawyer" over "bribe an official" any day of the week.
  - adamc 5y ago
    Yes, but that is a very low bar.
tehwebguy 5y ago
Right — a lawsuit is the pretty much the only thing that must be answered.
himinlomax 5y ago
How long would it take to have this resolved in court? Courts that are backlogged due to Covid? What's a business owner supposed to do while this goes through the courts? And obviously, how much is it going to cost?
EricE 5y ago
Before running to a lawyer he should at least send a paper letter. Skip this email and phone BS. Certified, Return Receipt, signature required. Even a lack of response is still documented. Right now it's just he said/she said. And if it does get to the legal level, having an official and actionable paper trail is a lot stronger than "they haven't answered one email in 9 years". A judge isn't going to care about that (right or wrong is irrelevant - email is not as actionable of communications in business vs. mailed correspondence.) If they still don't respond to a letter like that and it bounces back from the post office then you really have something for an attorney to start with. Attorneys are expensive - do the basics first before engaging one (if you have to). And no, engaging an attorney does not automatically = a lawsuit. Quite the opposite, actually.
- rietta 5y ago
  That works for many things. Many years ago Microsoft acquired a phone company that we had apps in the app store for. We had documented proof of the sales receipts but no payment. After months of nothing, I printed and sent an invoice by certified mail with signature requested and we were paid shortly thereafter.
systemvoltage 5y ago
This the right answer unfortunately that is downvoted without explanation.

apercu 5y ago

Agreed. Sue the city. That will get someones attention. Well, maybe not in NYC. I honestly don't know.

omegabravo 5y ago
Seeing a lawyer doesn't necessarily mean suing the city, it means someone who can navigate rules and regulations
- jonny_eh 5y ago
  Or even know who to call to take a closer look.
- apercu 5y ago
  That's fair, I just meant if the stern letter from a law office (which I am sure New York officials get weekly) didn't do anything.

warent 5y ago

Why is this being downvoted? It seems like perfectly reasonable advice and one of the first things that came to my mind as well. Is there something in the video that happens which is causing people to vote this down? Edit: instead of silently voting me down too I encourage someone to provide thoughtful written discourse expressing your disagreement so we can all grow and learn together

CapitalistCartr 5y ago

Unfortunately, the hard truth, in America at least, is you have to hire a lawyer for these problems. Most such problems magically disappear that way. It's unfair, but it's how it works. It's a lot like needing to bribe an official to get something done: if you don't understand, the system seems impenetrable.

xeromal 5y ago
IDK, I see a lawyer as a positive benefit. Sure, some city, state, or federal employees are incompetent but at least there is a means of getting help if you're desperate enough.
EricE 5y ago
lol - all systems have rules and gatekeepers. After all, all systems are operated by humans. Governments, corporations or other large organizations are not magical entities that exist in a vacuum - there are humans at the core of all of them.
jonny_eh 5y ago
I'd take "hire a lawyer" over "bribe an official" any day of the week.
- adamc 5y ago
  Yes, but that is a very low bar.

tehwebguy 5y ago

Right — a lawsuit is the pretty much the only thing that must be answered.

himinlomax 5y ago

How long would it take to have this resolved in court? Courts that are backlogged due to Covid? What's a business owner supposed to do while this goes through the courts? And obviously, how much is it going to cost?

EricE 5y ago

Before running to a lawyer he should at least send a paper letter. Skip this email and phone BS. Certified, Return Receipt, signature required. Even a lack of response is still documented. Right now it's just he said/she said. And if it does get to the legal level, having an official and actionable paper trail is a lot stronger than "they haven't answered one email in 9 years". A judge isn't going to care about that (right or wrong is irrelevant - email is not as actionable of communications in business vs. mailed correspondence.) If they still don't respond to a letter like that and it bounces back from the post office then you really have something for an attorney to start with. Attorneys are expensive - do the basics first before engaging one (if you have to). And no, engaging an attorney does not automatically = a lawsuit. Quite the opposite, actually.

rietta 5y ago
That works for many things. Many years ago Microsoft acquired a phone company that we had apps in the app store for. We had documented proof of the sales receipts but no payment. After months of nothing, I printed and sent an invoice by certified mail with signature requested and we were paid shortly thereafter.

systemvoltage 5y ago

This the right answer unfortunately that is downvoted without explanation.