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Posted by a mom on February 28, 2001 at 14:38:47:

I don't know what to do. I've been in my apartment for 2 years, my lease is up on April 30 and guess what -- I just received a huge rent increase (35%) that we really can't afford. I just had a baby, and I have another son; moving out just isn't financially feasible at this time. I would have to move to a very bad area in order to afford something, and as a professional with 2 small children, i'm not willing to do that. My apartment is falling apart, due to my landlord's negligence. I've put in at least a thousand dollars or more into repairs, refurbishments, on this apartment. I've put up with 2 winters of shoddy heat, leaky roofs and pipes, rotten wood floors, missing bathroom tiles, holes in the walls and ceilings, exposed wiring, a chipping facade, broken stairs, and now i feel like i'm being stabbed in the back. I've continously asked him to make these repairs and he lies, tells me he'll come by "this week" and of course never shows up. I've had the roof waterproofed myself ($400) at absolutely no cost to him, and now he's basically trying to drive me out of my apartment, he even had a real estate agent come look at it! I've always paid my rent early, kept the place very clean, even maintained the outside of the house (brownstone), including the sidewalk. Now my landlord isn't even returning my calls. I am not paying low rent either, I'm paying over $1000 for a 1-bedroom in a marginal neighborhood, so it's not like I have a steal. Should I call inspectors (although I am fearful the building might be condemned)? Can I try to lower the rent increase in court due to the building's condition? What should I do? We're very scared and really have no where to go!

Follow Ups:

• You need HELP! Real Estate Mogul 03/01/01 (3)
  • Good for you and your children. Common Sense 03/01/01 (0)
  • Re: You need HELP! TenantNet 03/01/01 (1)
    • She did say she was unregulated... MikeW 03/01/01 (0)
• Re: Clinton Hill too now too gentrified for this family of 4 -- HELP! Will 02/28/01 (2)
  • Re: Clinton Hill too now too gentrified for this family of 4 -- HELP! a mom 02/28/01 (1)
    • Re: DHCR JJ 03/01/01 (0)
• Re: Clinton Hill too now too gentrified for this family of 4 -- HELP! dave 02/28/01 (2)
  • everyone dave is an ass...just ignore him will 02/28/01 (1)
    • It's really Richard TenantNet 02/28/01 (0)

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: I don't know what to do.  I've been in my apartment for 2 years, my lease is up on April 30 and guess what -- I just received a huge rent increase (35%) that we really can't afford.  I just had a baby, and I have another son; moving out just isn't financially feasible at this time.  I would have to move to a very bad area in order to afford something, and as a professional with 2 small children, i'm not willing to do that.  My apartment is falling apart, due to my landlord's negligence.  I've put in at least a thousand dollars or more into repairs, refurbishments, on this apartment.  I've put up with 2 winters of shoddy heat, leaky roofs and pipes, rotten wood floors, missing bathroom tiles, holes in the walls and ceilings, exposed wiring, a chipping facade, broken stairs, and now i feel like i'm being stabbed in the back.  I've continously asked him to make these repairs and he lies, tells me he'll come by "this week" and of course never shows up.  I've had the roof waterproofed myself ($400) at absolutely no cost to him, and now he's basically trying to drive me out of my apartment, he even had a real estate agent come look at it!  I've always paid my rent early, kept the place very clean, even maintained the outside of the house (brownstone), including the sidewalk.  Now my landlord isn't even returning my calls.  I am not paying low rent either, I'm paying over $1000 for a 1-bedroom in a marginal neighborhood, so it's not like I have a steal.  Should I call inspectors (although I am fearful the building might be condemned)?  Can I try to lower the rent increase in court due to the building's condition? What should I do?  We're very scared and really have no where to go!


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