BJ 410121-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
                                
                                
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IN THE MATTER OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE     ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
APPEAL OF                               DOCKET NO.: BJ 410121 RO

     ANTHONY ARMATO                     DISTRICT RENT
                                        ADMINISTRATOR'S DOCKET
NO.: BE 420023 HW
                        PETITIONER
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  ORDER AND OPINION DENYING PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
                                
           On  October  6,  1987 the above named petitioner-owner
filed  a  Petition for Administrative Review against an order  of
the  Rent  Administrator issued September  28,  1987.  The  order
concerned housing accommodations known as Apt 6A located  at  208
East  21st Street, New York, N.Y.  The Administrator order a rent
reduction for failure to maintain adequate heat and/or hot water.

      The  Commissioner  has reviewed the  record  and  carefully
considered  that portion relevant to the issues  raised  by  this
appeal.

      The  tenant  commenced this proceeding on May  8,  1987  by
filing  an application for rent reduction due to owner's  failure
to  provide adequate heat and hot water.  She alleged a  lack  of
heat  between  April  6  and  May  1,  1987.   She  also  alleged
inadequate hot water between March 1 and May 1, 1987.  The  owner
was  served  with  a  copy  of  the  complaint  and  afforded  an
opportunity to respond. The owner failed to respond.

      The  Administrator  ordered a physical  inspection  of  the
subject apartment.  The inspection was conducted on July 2,  1987
and  revealed  the hot water temperature to be  60  degrees.   An
additional  inspection on August 10, 1987  found  the  hot  water
temperature to be 81 degrees.

      The  Administrator issued the order here  under  review  on
September  28, 1987 and ordered a rent reduction of one guideline
increase effective June 1, 1987.
      On appeal the owner states that adequate hot water is being
maintained but that one tenant is shutting off the boiler  system
in  order  to  obtain a rent reduction.  The owner  requested  an
inspection.  The tenant did not file a response.

      After  careful  review of the evidence in the  record,  the
Commissioner  is  of  the  opinion that the  petition  should  be
denied.

      The  Commissioner  notes that the scope  of  review  in  an
administrative appeal proceeding is limited to facts or  evidence
presented before the Administrator.  The owner was served with  a
copy  of  the  complaint  herein but did  not  file  a  response.
Accordingly,   he   cannot  now  raise  objections   before   the
Commissioner.

     Moreover, the rent reduction order was properly based on the
results of two physical inspections which revealed inadequate hot
water  and  the  owner  did not submit any  evidence  to  warrant
modification or reversal of that determination.

      THEREFORE, pursuant to the Rent Stabilization Law and  Code
it is

      ORDERED,  that  this petition be, and the same  hereby  is,
denied, and that the Rent Administrator's order be, and the  same
hereby is, affirmed.

ISSUED:



                                   JOSEPH A. D'AGOSTA
                                   Acting Deputy Commissioner
    

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