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HPD keeps closing my complaints

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HPD keeps closing my complaints

Postby hpaction » Mon Jan 28, 2019 6:23 pm

Hi. I have had inadequate heat/hot water for many weeks. LL has thermostat set to turn off during weekday day hours ("I'm not paying for heat while people are at work"), sleeping hours, and weekend afternoons ("it will stay warm enough"). Thermostat is in a lockbox. LL also has the hot water temp set to ~92 degrees. She ignored my certified letter. I have made several complaints to HPD. HPD responded to the initial one after 5 days by showing up to my apartment unannounced while I was at work. The inspector called me while in front of my building and informed me that since I was not home, he would close the complaint. I explained to him that I had not heard from my LL.

I quickly opened another complaint, but for some reason that one was then closed. I spoke to my HPD Borough Service Center. Someone there advised me to open another complaint, so I did. The next day, HPD said someone should come on Monday (today) to inspect. I stayed home from work today waiting in the cold, and at the end of the day, I realized that my third complaint had been closed the same day I last spoke to the Borough Service Ctr.

I called 311, who told me that someone IN MY APARTMENT had reported that the problem was fixed. I do not have roommates! I made another complaint today, but is this process likely futile? HPD is currently not doing scheduled appts for heat/hot water due to high demand.

Other facts: unregulated; 3-unit building (yet not registered w/ HPD); month to month.
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Re: HPD keeps closing my complaints

Postby TenantNet » Mon Jan 28, 2019 8:09 pm

Welcome to the world of HPD. They do tend to do that. You have to keep complaining and ask for a night/weekend inspection. Even then they might ignore the request.

You can make a stink with your local community board or city council member.
Or you can file a HP Action in Housing Court where they can't just close it. They have to schedule an appointment and report back to the court. A HP Action is where you and HPD sue the LL and force him to make repairs. The inspection is to verify the condition exists.

Of course once the LL knows you're doing that, he might start supplying heat until the case is over.

Another option is - after placing a complaint via 311, call HPD Enforcement:
212-234-2541 located at 94 Old Broadway, 7th floor (way uptown)
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