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Posted by TenantNet on December 18, 1996 at 18:52:35:

In Reply to: Steam pipe exploding... posted by Lauri on December 18, 1996 at 10:53:22:

: I live on the first floor of a building in the Bronx. The steam for our side of the building runs under our kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. In 1990, the kitchen pipe burst. The kitchen was unavailable for about a week. In 1992, the bathroom pipe (continued from the kitchen) burst. That took two days. Now, it's 1996. The bedroom floor has raised 3 inches across the entire room (the floorboards popped) and the rest of our side of the building will have no heat because the heat is just seeping out of the pipe into my bedroom. Needless to say, it's mighty hot in there (with the door closed for about two hours, it was at least 90 F). The Super said someone would come look at it, but he didn't know when it would be fixed. This means missing work (and losing money!!) and having my life (and not to mention the holiday) disrupted. We are currently at war with the landlord for a rent overcharge going back 7 years (DHRC hasn't ruled yet, but we're close), so this is just one more thing to add to the list. We've notified the landlord via certified mail, but the 10 days that is the standard waiting period would cause no heat for our side of the building for that long in the beginnings of a cold winter. Since there's the regulation that there must be heat, would this for the landlord to make repairs immediately??

As far as I know there is no "10-day waiting period", especially
for heat. Not that they will do anything, but call HPD heat line
and at least get the complaint on record. You might get an
inspector. Contact your local city councilperson and assemblyperson.
I would also tell the landlord you will withhold rent for no heat.
Yes, that will bring you into court, but that's the system. There's
also HPD Emergency Repair (which is a bit of a joke). And you could
bring the landlord into court with a HP Action. If he's not paying
utilities, you could talk to Con Ed where the tenants pay the utilities
and deduct it from the rent. And, in some cases, if it involves
potential gas/electric problems, Con Ed might do the repairs if
it involves their equipment.

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: : I live on the first floor of a building in the Bronx.  The steam for our side of the building runs under our kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.  In 1990, the kitchen pipe burst. The kitchen was unavailable for about a week.   In 1992, the bathroom pipe (continued from the kitchen) burst. That took two days.   Now, it's 1996.  The bedroom floor has raised 3 inches across the entire room (the floorboards popped) and the rest of our side of the building will have no heat because the heat is just seeping out of the pipe into my bedroom.  Needless to say, it's mighty hot in there (with the door closed for about two hours, it was at least 90 F).  The Super said someone would come look at it, but he didn't know when it would be fixed.  This means missing work (and losing money!!) and having my life (and not to mention the holiday) disrupted.  We are currently at war with the landlord for a rent overcharge going back 7 years (DHRC hasn't ruled yet, but we're close), so this is just one more thing to add to the list.  We've notified the landlord via certified mail, but the 10 days that is the standard waiting period would cause no heat for our side of the building for that long in the beginnings of a cold winter.  Since there's the regulation that there must be heat, would this for the landlord to make repairs immediately??

: As far as I know there is no "10-day waiting period", especially
: for heat. Not that they will do anything, but call HPD heat line
: and at least get the complaint on record. You might get an
: inspector. Contact your local city councilperson and assemblyperson.
: I would also tell the landlord you will withhold rent for no heat.
: Yes, that will bring you into court, but that's the system. There's
: also HPD Emergency Repair (which is a bit of a joke). And you could
: bring the landlord into court with a HP Action. If he's not paying 
: utilities, you could talk to Con Ed where the tenants pay the utilities
: and deduct it from the rent. And, in some cases, if it involves
: potential gas/electric problems, Con Ed might do the repairs if
: it involves their equipment.




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