GC410203RO
                                  STATE OF NEW YORK
                      DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL
                            OFFICE OF RENT ADMINISTRATION
                                     GERTZ PLAZA
                                  92-31 UNION HALL
                                  JAMAICA, NY 11433





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          IN THE MATTER OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE          ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
          APPEAL OF                                    DOCKET NO.:
                                                       GC410203RO
               The 400 East 58th Street Co.,
                                                       RENT ADMINISTRATOR'S
                                                       DOCKET NO.:
                                                       FJ410148S
                                   PETITIONER
          ------------------------------------x

            ORDER AND OPINION DENYING PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

          The above-named owner filed a timely petition for administrative 
          review of an order issued on March 4, 1992, concerning the housing 
          accommodations known as 400 East 58th Street, Apt. 17G, New York, 
          New York, wherein the Rent Administrator determined the tenant's 
          complaint of decreased services.

          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 tenant commenced these proceedings by filing a complaint 
          asserting that the owner had failed to maintain certain services in 
          the subject apartment.

          In an answer, the owner denied the allegations set forth in the 
          complaint, or asserted that the tenant failed to cooperate with the 
          owner's efforts to ascertain conditions regarding repairs, or 
          otherwise asserted that required repairs had been or will be 
          completed.









          Thereafter, the DHCR conducted an inspection of the subject 
          apartment.  The DHCR inspector reported walls and ceiling peeling 












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          paint and plaster apartment-wide that were in need of repairs, leak 
          damage by the bedroom window, a loose kitchen cabinet door handle, 
          a bedroom window frame and sash that were rotten and in need of 
          scraping and painting, a kitchen door and bedroom closet door that 
          did not close shut, mice droppings in the kitchen, and very low 
          voice volume on the intercom.  The inspector also reported that 
          repairs were underway in the bathroom at the time of inspection.  
          Other services were found to have been maintained.

          The Rent Administrator directed the owner to restore services and 
          further ordered a reduction of the stabilization rent.

          In the petition for administrative review, the owner states that 
          any delays in restoring all services were due to tenant's refusal 
          to provide access, and that repairs were substantially completed 
          prior to the Rent Administrator's order.  In support the owner 
          submits, among other items, the superintendent's affidavit that 
          repairs were substantially completed, and letters mailed on 
          February 4, 1992 by certified mailing and on February 18, 1992, 
          with a certificate of mailing, requesting access to paint the 
          apartment, which were not submitted to the Rent Administrator for 
          consideration.

          After careful consideration the Commissioner is of the opinion that 
          the petition should be denied.

          Pursuant to Section 2523.4 of the Rent Stabilization Code, the DHCR 
          is required to order a rent reduction upon application by a tenant, 
          where it is found that an owner has failed to maintain required 
          services.

          However, the owner does not establish basis for modifying or 
          revoking the Rent Administrator's order that the owner was not 
          maintaining required services.  The evidence the owner submitted in 
          the proceedings below did not rise to the level required to trigger 
          a "no-access" inspection, detailed in Policy Statement 90-5:  
          Arranging Repairs No Access Inspection.

          The additional evidence of repairs completed prior to the order, 
          submitted for the first time on appeal, and claims of repairs 
          completed after the date of the Rent Administrator's order could 
          not be considered since scope of review is limited to evidence and 
          issues submitted to the Rent Administrator for consideration.

          The automatic stay of the retroactive rent abatement that resulted 
          by the filing of this petition is vacated upon issuance of this 
          order and opinion.

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

          ORDERED, that this petition be, and the same hereby is, denied, and 






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          that the Rent Administrator's order be, and the same hereby is, 
          affirmed.

                     


          ISSUED:






                                                                     
                                             JOSEPH A. D'AGOSTA
                                             Deputy Commissioner