DHCR Decisions          EC110404RO                                  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.:                                                       EC110404RO                    G. K. J. SUBRAJ,                                                       RENT ADMINISTRATOR'S                                                       DOCKET NO.:                                   PETITIONER          DG110054OR          ----------------------------------x                ORDER AND OPINION GRANTING PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW                                                    The above-named owner filed a timely Petition for Administrative          Review (PAR) of an order issued on March 6, 1990, concerning the          housing accommodations known as 88-05 Merrick Boulevard, Apartment          1-J, Queens, New York, wherein the Rent Administrator determined          the owner's application to restore rent previously reduced under          Docket No. BA110304S.          The Commissioner has reviewed all the evidence in the record and          has carefully considered that portion of the record relevant to the          issues raised by the petition.          The Rent Administrator's order under Docket No. BA110304S reduced          the tenants' rent based on findings of continuously leaking hot and          cold water faucets, water damaged bathroom ceiling and walls, and          peeling paint and plaster, broken hall closet doors and a defective          doorbell.          The owner commenced these proceedings by filing a rent restoration          application on July 27, 1989, wherein the owner claimed that all          repairs had been completed and that the tenants agreed and          consented to have the rent restored.  The tenants of the subject          apartment signed the rent restoration application to acknowledge          their consent.  The owner also submitted a copy of a work order          dated July 27, 1989 signed by the tenants.          EC110404RO          This application was processed under Docket No. DG110054OR, which          is the subject matter of this appeal.  The tenants were notified of          the proceedings on August 25, 1989 but did not respond.          Thereafter, the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR)          conducted an inspection of the subject premises.  Based on the          results of that inspection which revealed evidence of water damaged          bathroom walls and ceiling and a defective closet door, the Rent          Administrator denied the owner's rent restoration application.          In this petition for administrative review, the owner, in sub-          stance, argues that the Rent Administrator's determination of the          rent restoration application was in error.  In response to the          petition, the tenants stated that the conditions had been          corrected.          After careful consideration, the Commissioner is of the opinion          that the petition must be granted.          Policy Statement 89-1 states, in pertinent part, that if "an owner          files an application affirming that the required services have been          restored [and] the tenant consents to the owner's statements, then          the rent is restored.  Otherwise, an inspection is made to deter-          mine if the required services have been restored".          In light of the fact that the tenants consented to the owner's          statement below and confirm the owner's statement on appeal, the          record does not reveal any facts to account for the variance herein          from normal processing.  The rent should have been and hereby is          restored effective September 1, 1989, the first day of the month          following service of the owner's application on the tenants.          DHCR records also indicate that the Rent Administrator issued an          order, on November 26, 1990, under Docket No. EC110038OR restoring          the rent.          Rent arrears, if any, due the owner from the tenants as a result of          this order may be paid by the tenants in monthly installments equal          to the rent reduction restored herein.          THEREFORE, in accordance with the Rent Stabilization Law and Code,          it is          EC110404RO          ORDERED, that this Petition be, and the same hereby is, granted and          that the Rent Administrator's order be, and the same hereby is,          amended to restore the legal regulated rent effective September 1,          1989, in accordance with the above.          ISSUED:                                                                                                                                                                               LULA M. ANDERSON                                                         Deputy Commissioner