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Posted by Leslie M. Banks on November 15, 1997 at 01:51:58:

In Reply to: Re: no heat & hot water posted by TenantNet on November 12, 1997 at 01:42:24:

: : I am a mother of twio children in a rent subsidized apartment. I have to pay a percentage of my full rent. When I was on public assistance, section 8 paid a large portion of my rent and P.A paid the rest on time every month.
: : My landlord got his rent money even though there was no heat & hot water for weeks at a time. There was nothing I could do. I started a new job and am no longer on P.A. Last month my gas bill went up to $60.00 because I had to use my stove to boil water and heat my house up. Sixty dollars is a lot of money considering the amount of time I am home and my children are fed by the time I come home from work which means there is no need for me to use the stove to cook dinner.
: : I told my landlord now that rent is coming out of my pocket I will deduct $5.00 for every day I have to use my stove and oven to make hot water and heat my home to cover the expense of using my gas.
: : So far he has lost $25.00 out of the rent money.
: : Is this fair as long as I can prove my statement?

: I think you're shortchanging yourself, but that's not really the point.
: You could argue that as your bill went up $60, that's $2 per day so there
: would be some basis in your calculations. But in most places the owner is
: required to provide HHW. Wouldn't you rather have the HHW than resort to
: this. If he ever decides to push the issue, you could end up in a court battle,
: and some places don't allow deductions. In other places, it's called an
: "abatement." Using a stove to heat is dangerous (it's either the fumes
: or carbon monoxide -- I don't remember which, but it's dangerous).
: I would press with your local authorities to get him to fix the
: furnace and boiler

There is nothing wrong with the boiler or furnace. If my neighbors don't pay the rent no one in the building gets HHW which is almost every month. I call the HHW complaint bureau he turns it on until the inspection is over so he won't be fined and turns it back off again. My kids and I are now terribly sick in a freezing apartment and we have not showered in days because of this. I can't afford court costs so what do I do. If I had given him all the rent money we'd still have no HHW because my neighbors did not pay the rent I am in a catch 22 .

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• Re: no heat & hot water TenantNet 11/18/97 (0)

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: : : I am a mother of twio children in a rent subsidized apartment. I have to pay a percentage of my full rent.   When I was on public assistance, section 8 paid a large portion of my rent and P.A paid the rest on time every month.
: : : My landlord got his rent money even though there was no heat & hot water for weeks at a time.  There was nothing I could do.  I started a new job and am no longer on P.A.  Last month my gas bill went up to $60.00 because I had to use my stove to boil water and heat my house up.  Sixty dollars is a lot of money considering the amount of time I am home and my children are fed by the time I come home from work which means there is no need for me to use the stove to cook dinner.  
: : : I told my landlord now that rent is coming out of my pocket I will deduct $5.00 for every day I have to use my stove and oven to make hot water and heat my home to cover the expense of using my gas.
: : : So far he has lost $25.00 out of the rent money.
: : : Is this fair as long as I can prove my statement?

: : I think you're shortchanging yourself, but that's not really the point.
: : You could argue that as your bill went up $60, that's $2 per day so there
: : would be some basis in your calculations. But in most places the owner is
: : required to provide HHW. Wouldn't you rather have the HHW than resort to
: : this. If he ever decides to push the issue, you could end up in a court battle,
: : and some places don't allow deductions. In other places, it's called an
: : "abatement." Using a stove to heat is dangerous (it's either the fumes
: : or carbon monoxide -- I don't remember which, but it's dangerous).
: : I would press with your local authorities to get him to fix the
: : furnace and boiler

: There is nothing wrong with the boiler or furnace.  If my neighbors don't pay the rent no one in the building gets HHW which is almost every month.  I call the HHW complaint bureau he turns it on until the inspection is over so he won't be fined and turns it back off again.  My kids and I are now terribly sick in a freezing apartment and we have not showered in days because of this.  I can't afford court costs so what do I do.  If I had given him all the rent money we'd still have no HHW because my neighbors did not pay the rent  I am in a catch 22 .


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