What to do when the super says “it’s your equipment, not the building”

Something’s not working — the internet, the intercom, a shared wiring closet issue — and when you call the super or management office, the answer is “that’s your equipment, not the building’s.” Sometimes that’s accurate. Sometimes it’s a fast way to close a ticket. Here’s how to tell the difference.

What’s usually genuinely yours

• Your own router, modem, and any Wi-Fi equipment you purchased or that came with your personal internet plan.
• In-unit wiring problems caused by something you did — drilling into a wall, a device you installed.
• Your computers, printers, and other devices, obviously.

What’s often the building’s, even if they say otherwise

• Building-provided internet or cable equipment — if internet is bundled into your maintenance fee or provided via a building-wide contract, the equipment up to the point it enters your unit (and sometimes the in-unit box itself) is typically the building’s responsibility, not yours.
• Shared wiring infrastructure — risers, the wiring between floors, anything before it reaches your unit’s demarcation point.
• Intercom and buzzer systems — these are almost always building infrastructure, not tenant equipment, regardless of how the complaint gets framed.

How to find out which it actually is

Check your lease or proprietary lease (for co-ops) for language about what’s designated “building” versus “unit owner” responsibility — this is usually spelled out, even if nobody’s read that section in years. If it’s genuinely ambiguous, ask in writing (email, not just a hallway conversation) exactly what the building considers its responsibility versus yours, and keep that response. A written answer tends to be more careful and accurate than a verbal one given in passing.

When it really is your equipment

If it turns out to genuinely be your router, your Wi-Fi setup, or a device you added, that’s not a dead end — it just means the fix is on you rather than the building, and it’s usually still solvable. Most of what looks like “the building’s Wi-Fi is broken” is actually a router placement or configuration issue on the tenant side that’s straightforward to fix once identified.

When it’s worth getting a professional opinion

Having someone who can look at your specific setup and tell you, honestly, whether the problem is on your side of the wall or the building’s is worth it before a dispute drags on — it also gives you something concrete to bring to management if it does turn out to be their responsibility. Part of the Wi-Fi and network diagnostics we provide across the Upper West Side and Manhattan.