DOCKET NO.:  DD 420068-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 APPEAL
     APPEAL OF                                 DOCKET NO. DD 420068-RO
                                           :   DRO DOCKET NO. ZAI-4200830-OI
        54 SATELLITE CO./M. ROBERTSON          
          c/o BUCHBINDER & WARREN,,        :   
                            PETITIONER         
     --------------------------------------X   

          
           ORDER AND OPINION DENYING PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW


     On April 11,  1989,  the  above-named  petitioner  filed  a  Petition  for
     Administrative Appeal against an order issued on April  14,  1989  by  the
     Rent administrator, 92-31 Union Hall Street, Jamaica, New York, concerning 
     the housing accommodations known as 350 East 54th  Street,  Apt.  6H,  New
     York, NY.

     The Administrative Appeal is being determined pursuant to  the  provisions
     of 9 NYCRR 2202.4 of the Rent and Eviction Regulations.

     The issue herein is whether the Administrator was correct in  denying  the
     owner's  application  for  a  second  rent  Increase   for   replacing   a
     refrigerator one month after installing it as an  increased  service  with
     tenant consent.

     The District Rent  Administrator's  order,  appealed  herein,  denied  the
     owner's second application as an increase had already been granted on  the
     owner's first application under docket #420021-OI.

     The owner at the time he filed his second increased service application on 
     September 5, 19866  under  docket  #ZAI-420082-OI  asked  that  his  first
     application dated July 31, 1986 be withdrawn.  The owner's explanation for 
     the withdrawal of the original application was that the first  replacement
     refrigerator did not fit the existing kitchen space.

     The owner with tenant consent therefore  purchased  a  second  replacement
     refrigerator  (different  brand  with  same  interior  cubic   space   but
     apparently   different   outside   dimensions).    The   two   replacement
     refrigerators were close in cost.

     The Rent Administrator did not act on the owner's application to  withdraw
     the first application for a rent increase.  Instead the first  application
     was granted, on April 30, 1987 resulting in $8.00 rent increase.

     The second application was accordingly denied as duplicate  in  nature  on
     April 4, 1989.

     Considering  the  similarity  in   capacity   of   the   two   replacement






          DOCKET NO.:  DD 420068-RO
     refrigerators, the Rent Administrator is found to be correct  in  granting
     the first  increased  service  application,  and  denying  the  second  as
     duplicate in nature.

     The tenant never protested  the original $8.00 increase under docket # ZAH 
     420021-OI.  Accordingly the rent administrator acted reasonably in denying 
     the second application for a rent increase for the same improved service.

     THEREFORE, in accordance with the provisions  of  the  Rent  and  Eviction
     Regulation of New York City, the Tenant Protection Regulations, it is 

     ORDERED, that the rent administrator's order be, and the  same  hereby  is
     affirmed.

     ISSUED:  



                                                                               
                                                     JOSEPH A. D'AGOSTA
                                                 Acting Deputy Commissioner