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Posted by Anna on February 16, 2000 at 18:06:52:

In Reply to: Lack of many essential services posted by Joe on February 16, 2000 at 17:32:50:

: I live in a rent stabilized apartment in a building of more than 24 units on the West Side of Manhattan. The building is about 100 years old. The bathroom cieling has not been painted for about 7 years and it is starting to fall, plaster is falling and concrete is exposed. The cieling is buckling. Above this cieling is the bath tub of the tenant above. It appears dangerous. There has been no heat in the bedroom for one week. There has never been any heat in the living room since I moved into the apartment in 1991. The raditator there had been removed and sealed. There are mice and roaches in the apartment. The kitchen faucet is broken, hot water continually gushes out and I must close it from the bottom of the sink. The toilet does not flush unless held down 30 to 60 seconds. The bathroom door is broken, it will not close, let alone lock. I informed the landlord of some of these matters last July in a certified letter. He never responded. I stopped paying rent from last August. He is so negligent he has not even realized this. He has made no request for back rent. I am keeping the rent money in my own bank account. I want to take some action to get the problems repaired and possibly to win the right to keep the unpaid rent since I have been living in such awful conditions. Where can I get the correct, free, legal advice I need as soon as possible to go about this in a legal manner that will increase my chances of winning? Thanks for any replies.

Start by reading: http://tenant.net/nyc.html

Then call HPD 960-4800 to report these conditions. Be warned that they handle Heat/Hot water complaints differently than the others you listed: you nmay have to call more than once.

You should also consider filing an HP Action: you sue them to force them to make repairs. This type of suit is not supposed to give you an abatement (rent reduction). Read about this and about the Non-Payment eviction proceeding your landlord will probably start here: http://tenant.net/Court/Hcourt

You should also go to HPD to get a copies of the current violations (computer) and the history of older violations (paper folder). And research previous Housing Court cases at 111 Centre St, second floor: look up the landlord's name in the computer, get copies of the cases.

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Comments:
: : I live in a rent stabilized apartment in a building of more than 24 units on the West Side of Manhattan. The building is about 100 years old. The bathroom cieling has not been painted for about 7 years and it is starting to fall, plaster is falling and concrete is exposed. The cieling is buckling. Above this cieling is the bath tub of the tenant above. It appears dangerous. There has been no heat in the bedroom for one week. There has never been any heat in the living room since I moved into the apartment in 1991. The raditator there had been removed and sealed. There are mice and roaches in the apartment. The kitchen faucet is broken, hot water continually gushes out and I must close it from the bottom of the sink. The toilet does not flush unless held down 30 to 60 seconds. The bathroom door is broken, it will not close, let alone lock. I informed the landlord of some of these matters last July in a certified letter. He never responded. I stopped paying rent from last August. He is so negligent he has not even realized this. He has made no request for back rent. I am keeping the rent money in my own bank account. I want to take some action to get the problems repaired and possibly to win the right to keep the unpaid rent since I have been living in such awful conditions. Where can I get the correct, free, legal advice I need as soon as possible to go about this in a legal manner that will increase my chances of winning? Thanks for any replies.

: Start by reading: http://tenant.net/nyc.html

: Then call HPD 960-4800 to report these conditions.  Be warned that they handle Heat/Hot water complaints differently than the others you listed: you nmay have to call more than once.

: You should also consider filing an HP Action: you sue them to force them to make repairs.  This type of suit is not supposed to give you an abatement (rent reduction).  Read about this and about the Non-Payment eviction proceeding your landlord will probably start here: http://tenant.net/Court/Hcourt

: You should also go to HPD to get a copies of the current violations (computer) and the history of older violations (paper folder).  And research previous Housing Court cases at 111 Centre St, second floor: look up the landlord's name in the computer, get copies of the cases.


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