BH 210279 RO

                                  STATE OF NEW YORK
                      DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL
                            OFFICE OF RENT ADMINISTRATION
                                     GERTZ PLAZA
                               92-31 UNION HALL STREET
                               JAMAICA, NEW YORK 11433

          ------------------------------------X 
          IN THE MATTER OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE :  ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
          APPEAL OF                              DOCKET NO. BH 210279 RO
                                              :  DRO DOCKET NO. ZBC-210005-S
               SICHERMAN MANAGEMENT CO.                     

                                PETITIONER    : 
          ------------------------------------X 

            ORDER AND OPINION DENYING PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW


               On August 27, 1987, the above-named petitioner-owner filed  a
          Petition for Administrative Review against an order issued on July 
          27, 1987, by the Rent  Administrator,  92-31  Union  Hall  Street,
          Jamaica, New York, concerning the housing accommodations known  as
          85 Crooke Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, Apartment  No.  16,  wherein
          the Rent Administrator determined that the  owner  had  failed  to
          maintain services and accordingly reduced the rent of the  subject
          apartment.

               The Administrative Appeal is being determined pursuant to the 
          provisions of Section 2523.4 of the Rent Stabilization Code.

               The issue herein is whether the  Rent  Administrator's  order
          was warranted.

               The Commissioner has reviewed all  of  the  evidence  in  the
          record and has carefully considered that  portion  of  the  record
          relevant to the issue raised by the administrative appeal.  

               This proceeding was originally commenced by the filing of  an
          Individual Tenant Statement  of  Complaint  in  which  the  tenant
          stated inter alia that floor tiles were torn up and  not  replaced
          and that two dining room doors with glass were torn out by a prior 
          tenant in 1973 and never replaced.

               In response to the tenant's complaint, the  owner  stated  in
          substance that the kitchen floor is in  good  condition  and  that
          since the dining room doors were not present when the tenant first 
          rented the apartment, she is not entitled to them now.

               An inspection was held at the subject apartment  on  May  18,
          1987.  Such inspection disclosed that the dining  room  doors  are
          missing and that approximately 24 hallway floor tiles are missing.

               In  Order  Number  ZBC-210005-S,   the   Rent   Administrator
          determined that,  based  upon  the  physical  inspection,  service
          decreases had occurred in the subject apartment  and  reduced  the
          rent to the level in effect prior to the most recent guideline 








          BH 210279 RO

          adjustment effective April 1, 1987.

               In this petition, the owner alleges in  substance,  that  the
          dining room doors are not a requires service since they  were  not
          there when the tenant first rented the apartment in 1973 and  that
          the owner replaced kitchen floor tiles for the tenant and  at  the
          time of such replacement, no hallway floor tiles were  missing  so
          that the tenant  must  have  removed  the  floor  tiles  from  the
          hallway.

               The Commissioner is of the opinion that this petition  should
          be denied.

               Section 2523.4 of the Rent  Stabilization  Code  provides  in
          pertinent part that a tenant may apply to the DHCR for a reduction 
          of the legal regulated rent to the level in effect  prior  to  the
          most recent guidelines adjustment, and the DHCR  shall  so  reduce
          the rent for the period for which it is found that the  owner  has
          failed to maintain required services.  Section  2520.6(r)  defines
          required services as those the owner was maintaining  or  required
          to maintain on the applicable base date.

               In the instant case,  the  evidence  of  record  including  a
          physical inspection, disclosed  that  required  repairs  were  not
          made.  The owner  has  submitted  no  evidence  to  establish  its
          contention that the tenant removed floor tiles from the hallway of 
          the subject apartment.  In addition providing  dining  room  doors
          was a service the owner was required to maintain on the base  date
          since such doors were an integral part of the  dining  room.   The
          fact that the owner did not actually provide  such  doors  on  the
          base date does not excuse it from the  necessity  to  replace  the
          doors upon the complaint of the tenant herein.   Accordingly,  the
          Rent Administrator's order was warranted.

               The Commissioner  notes  that  the  owner's  application  for
          rent restoration was granted on July 1 ,  1989  under  docket  CK-
          210063-OR since all repair work was completed.

               THEREFORE, in accordance with  the  provisions  of  the  Rent
          Stabilization Law and Code, it is

               ORDERED, that this petition for administrative review be, and 
          the same hereby is, denied,  and,  that  the  order  of  the  Rent
          Administrator be, and the same hereby is, affirmed.

          ISSUED



                                                                        
                                          ELLIOT SANDER
                                          Deputy Commissioner




                                                    
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          BH 210279 RO