FL 110155-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.: FL 110155 RO

     SHIRLEY GUZMAN                     DISTRICT RENT
     C/O JRD GROUP I LTD                ADMINISTRATOR'S DOCKET
                                        NO.: FH 110238 S
                        PETITIONER
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  ORDER AND OPINION GRANTING PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
             AND REVOKING RENT ADMINISTRATOR'S ORDER
                                
      On December 16, 1991 the above named petitioner-owner filed
a Petition for Administrative Review against an order of the Rent
Administrator  issued  December  6,  1991.  The  order  concerned
housing  accommodations known as Apt 4R located  at  155-01  90th
Ave, Jamaica, N.Y .  The Administrator order a rent reduction for
failure to maintain required services.

      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 August 9, 1991  by
filing   a   Statement  of  Complaint  of  Decrease  in  Services
wherein she alleged the following services deficiencies:

          1.   Kitchen--defective stove, electrical outlet inside
               socket loose, cabinet drawers and beams in need of
               repair, cabinet hinge does not allow door to close
               properly
          
          2.   Bathroom--ceramic  tiles  do  not   match,   tiles
               cracked under sink, towel rack missing, electrical
               outlet in need of replacement, bathtub in need  of
               caulking
          
          3.   Bedroom--black  tar on inside  of  window  causing
               damage  to my venetian blinds, hole in wall  where
               door  stopper was, ceiling in need of  plastering,
               electrical  outlets  must  be  replaced,  hole  in
               window sill
          
          4.   Living  room--west window has large  gap  at  top,
               east  window  does not close properly,  floorboard
               warped and raised
          
The  tenant  also  stated  that her  apartment  door  number  was
missing.

      The  owner  was  served with a copy of  the  complaint  and
afforded an opportunity to respond. The owner filed a response on
August  27,  1991  and  requested that DHCR  dismiss  the  docket
because  the  parties had reached an agreement in New  York  City
Civil  Court  wherein  the tenant agreed to  provide  access  for
repairs.  The owner stated that the tenant did, in fact,  provide
access  and  repairs were made.  Copies of requests  for  service
signed  by  the  tenant were annexed to the  answer.   The  owner
stated  that  the  only remaining repairs to  be  completed  were
replacement of living room windows, replacement of certain  stove
parts  and carpentry work.  The owner also annexed a copy of  the
aforementioned stipulation, which was dated August 5, 1991.

      The  Administrator  ordered a physical  inspection  of  the
subject apartment.  The inspection was conducted on November  21,
1991 and revealed the following:

          1.   Bathroom  tiles in tub area loose and in  need  of
               grouting; tiles replaced in different shade
          
          2.   Living room blinds damaged due to poor caulking
          
          3.   Living room window molding not painted
          
The following services were found to have been maintained:

          1.   Kitchen cabinet handle and latch working
          
          2.   Bathroom electrical outlet functioning
          
          3.   Bathroom towel rack replaced
          
          4.   Bathtub plumbing functioning
          
          5.   No problem with bedroom window caulking
          6.   No problems with bedroom wall, ceiling or outlet
          
          7.   No problem with bedroom window sills
          
          8.   No problem with living room floor
          
          9.   Apartment door number removed by tenant
          
      The  Administrator issued the order here  under  review  on
December  6, 1991 and ordered a rent reduction  of one  guideline
increase effective September 1, 1991.

      On  appeal  the owner states that the bathroom  tiles  were
repaired, that the living room windows were replaced and  caulked
but  that the tenant's original complaint did not include  window
painting  and that the venetian blinds were not services required
to be maintained by it.  The owner included copies of work orders
signed  by  the tenant, which are offered to support the  owner's
contention that repairs have been made.

      The tenant filed a response on February 7, 1992 wherein she
stated that the owner had not made the repairs claimed by  it  in
the petition.

      After  careful  review of the evidence in the  record,  the
Commissioner  is  of  the  opinion that the  petition  should  be
granted  and  the  rent  reduction ordered by  the  Administrator
should be revoked.

      The evidence of record does not support a finding that  the
owner  has  failed  to  make  necessary  repairs.   The  tenant's
complaint implicitly acknowledged that tile work was done in  the
bathroom  but  alleged that the new tiles  did  not  match.   The
Division  has  consistently held that, in the  absence  of  other
defects,  non  matching tiles does not warrant a rent  reduction.
(Accord  DE  610073  RT)  Moreover, the tenant  complained  about
cracked  tiles  under  the sink while the  Administrator's  order
refers  to loose tiles needing grout in the tub area, a different
condition  and  not one which the owner was notified  of  in  the
complaint.

      The  tenant  referred in her complaint  to  damage  to  "my
venetian blinds" and the owner contends in the petition  that  it
does  not  provide  this  service.   Since  venetian  blinds  are
generally  not  caulked,  the  condition  apparently  refers   to
caulking  material spilled on the blinds while the  windows  were
caulked.   Damage to a tenant's property, even if  caused  by  an
owner,  does  not  warrant  a  rent  reduction  under  the   Rent
Stabilization Law and Code and the tenant's recourse is to file a
claim with the owner's insurance carrier or seek compensation  in
a court of competent jurisdiction.

      With  regard  to  the windows, the record reveals  that  in
response  to  the tenant's complaint, the owner did  replace  the
living  room  windows but the job was not completed in  that  the
moldings  were not painted.  The tenant obviously could not  have
included  this  in her complaint because it is a  condition  that
resulted  only as a consequence of the installation  of  the  new
windows.   The owner, however, may not have been aware  that  the
moldings  had  not been painted.  Although a rent  reduction  for
this  item  is  not warranted since the owner may  not  have  had
notice  of  it,  the owner is directed to correct this  condition
within  thirty  (30) days of the issuance of this order  and  the
tenant  is advised to contact the Compliance unit of this  agency
if  the  necessary  repairs are not done.   If  noncompliance  is
found, a rent reduction or other penalties may be awarded.

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

      ORDERED,  that  this petition be, and the same  hereby  is,
granted, and that the Rent Administrator's order be, and the same
hereby  is, revoked.  Any arrears the tenant may owe as a  result
of  this  order  may  be  paid  off  in  6  (six)  equal  monthly
installments.

ISSUED:


                                   JOSEPH A. D'AGOSTA
                                   Acting Deputy Commissioner