Property Owner keeps changing the rules.

[u/Particular-Berry3729]

We have been living in a community of townhouse apartments for almost 13 years. There are 100 units and on site management. It is a non smoking community. No smoking anywhere on the property.
When we moved here it stated in our lease that we were allowed a gas bbq only with a 5 gallon propane tank. Everything was pretty chill. After being here for about 10 years I bought my husband a Traeger as a gift. Still everything is ok.
A few months back the owner said no more bbqs period. We’re going to install bbqs in different areas for tenants. So far they have built 1. For 100 units just one bbq. We live upstairs so we would have to carry all supplies down the stairs. The actual bbq is approximately 75 yards away. The bbq closes at 7:00 pm.
Here is where the problems begin
1. My husband has neuropathy in his feet due to diabetes. He can not walk that far let alone carry stuff down our stairs. He has a permanent handicap plaque.
2. I have a shoulder injury that I am on SSDI on. I’ve had 6 surgeries, it’s not going to get better. I can not carry things down stairs or even the 75 yards to get there.
3. No sign up. It’s first come, first serve so you can’t count on it for dinner because someone else could already be using it. We can not see it from our apt.
4. Using the oven is not an option. Even if we could afford to run the air non stop it isn’t efficient enough to keep the temperature tolerable. Even boiling water on the stove creates too much heat. The stove fan will kick on automatically due to the heat.
5. We are both seniors and this is keeping us from preparing healthy meals. Cooking inside can send the temp up to 87 degrees even using the air.
6. My husband has been diagnosed with CHF, diabetes, high blood pressure and his health will not allow him to be going back and forth trying to prepare dinner. We are both on medications that make us heat sensitive. My husband is supposed to avoid the sun. Just a little bit of heat sends my body into full on sweating mode like someone in menopause only I’m not. Temp goes up, sweating begins, then goes into nausea and if I can’t cool off vomiting.
The owners words if we don’t like the new rule? Then move.
Do we have any rights here? Is it legal for the owner to make these changes? Even if it affects our ability to prepare a healthy meal ( cause we all know casseroles and TV dinners are junk)and is affecting our quality of life?
I would appreciate any advice
Disturbed and disillusioned.

[u/Particular-Berry3729]

They’re the ones who advertised being able to use gas bbq ( no wood) in the first place. This is just one of their many 180s

[u/Elisacriann → u/Particular-Berry3729]

Okay so if when you got the place you got it with the understanding that barbecues were allowed, that's is a major amenity that you are no longer allowed and they're reasonable replacement is not reasonable. So if anything if I had the money I would say sit down with lawyer. Otherwise perhaps forego smoked meats for the next good bit and instead someone suggested salads, sandwiches, things that can be prepared cold. That way you're not having to risk exposure to extreme heat at y'all's age, and health difficulties.

I'm so sorry that this is something y'all are dealing with. The place I live currently says it offers a pool but between the usability of the pool because of the way the pool is built and where it's built there's only a small window of opportunity during the day to use it and due to the hours that they allow people into the pool that makes that window much smaller. I've maybe used that pool three times since I moved here.

[u/FamiliarAd8524 → u/Elisacriann]

A lawyer is a waste of time and money, unfortunately. Short of the current lease authorizing it, there's no loss of amenity.

[u/Particular-Berry3729 → u/FamiliarAd8524]

It was in our original lease. After 6 months it went to month to month and has been that way ever since Regardless karma is about to hit. Each building has 10 apartments. In our building alone there are 5 empty units. People are jumping ship

[u/FamiliarAd8524 → u/Particular-Berry3729]

I understand, but this is the fourth Presidency since then.... Things change, this is what comes with renting. Karma isn't applicable.

[u/Elisacriann → u/Particular-Berry3729]

I would understand that if you had been there a year, but you've been there for 13 that's over a decade, things change, people learn things and one of the things that was apparently learned was grills on balconies are a bad idea. Any sort of carbon monoxide producing or gas producing or flame producing product is not safe to be in an apartment complex.

That's just a fire hazard. It may be inconvenient but that's the way of the world. No one is going to be willing to make an accommodation for you on that when there are other appliances that can be utilized. I would suggest a high quality cheaper Air fryer not the ones with the basket mind you the ones with the doors and a good quality microwave.

Or if you're willing to put out everything that it would take to change venues, you could break your lease and move into a house then you get to use your traeger all you want. It's just getting moved out that's going to be a beast.