GC410207RO
                                  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.:
                                                       GC410207RO
               The 400 East 58th Street Co.,
                                                       RENT ADMINISTRATOR'S
                                                       DOCKET NO.:
                                                       FJ410429S
                                   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 March 12, 1992, concerning the housing 
          accommodations known as 400 East 58th Street, Apt. 4F, New York, 
          New York, wherein the Rent Administrator determined the tenant's 
          complaint of decreased services. 

          The Commissioner has reviewed all evidence in the record and has 
          carefully considered that portion of the record relevant to the 
          issues raised by the petition.

          The tenant commenced this proceeding 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 requiring repairs, or 
          otherwise asserted that required repairs had been or would be 
          completed.

          Thereafter, the DHCR conducted an inspection of the subject 
          apartment.  The DHCR inspector reported some cracked or mismatched 
          bathroom tiles, a cracked bedroom window frame, an old bedroom 
          window sash requiring painting, a new bedroom window that did not 
          open and close properly, and mice droppings in the kitchen.

          The Rent Administrator directed restoration of these services and 
          further, ordered a reduction of the stabilization rent.
          In the petition for administrative review the owner reiterates that 
          the tenant allowed access to the apartment on an intermittent basis 












          GC410207RO

          stretching out the time to complete repairs at the tenant's 
          convenience, that all work was substantially completed or was in 
          progress when the Rent Administrator's order was issued, and that 
          the tenant has continuously postponed the bathroom repairs that the 
          owner is prepared to complete.

          The tenant responded that work was postponed because the owner's 
          staff failed to appear for scheduled appointments.

          Pursuant to Section 2523.4 of the Rent Stabilization Code, 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.  The owner's petition does not establish proper basis for 
          modifying or revoking the Administrator's order which determined 
          that the owner was not maintaining required services based on a 
          physical inspection confirming the existence of defective 
          conditions in the subject apartment for which a rent reduction is 
          warranted.  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 Inspections.
           
          The owner did not substantiate allegations that the tenant failed 
          to provide the owner access or that the tenant stretched out the 
          time required to complete repairs by allowing access for small 
          periods of time weeks apart.

          Also, the owner's allegations on appeal, that various repairs were 
          completed or were in progress when the Rent Administrator issued 
          the order below, is beyond the scope of review, which is strictly 
          confined to issues and evidence submitted to the Rent Administrator 
          for consideration.  Moreover, the owner's submission on appeal, 
          consisting of the affidavit of the owner's superintendent, is 
          insufficient to warrant reconsideration of the order in any event, 
          since it was correct when issued based on the record presented 
          below.

          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







          GC410207RO

          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
                                             Deputy Commissioner