Posted by Ace on March 29, 2001 at 12:22:24:
In Reply to: landlord harassment posted by Annette on March 29, 2001 at 02:23:57:
If you live in a rent stabilized apartment then the LL cannot just toss you out. Tenant has responsibilities to LL but LL has responsibilities to tenant as well and must fulfill them or get fined or denied future rent increases.
Getting tenants organized and getting papers filed either on your own behalf or as a group with both city and state would make the LL sit up and take notice -- but you must first alert LL to any problems in a short polite note sent certified or fed ex (signature upon receipt for your records) what are the issues you need repaired/fixed and give LL ten days to respond and take care of. Only then can you call DHCR and fill out a notice of complaint, attaching a copy of the dated letter that had been sent certified to LL so you show proof that you tried to inform the LL of the problem(s) that LL won't fix.
You can call DHCR and determine whether what needs to be fixed falls under essential services (like secure mailboxes, clean building, etc.) and you can file either an individual or building-wide complaint form.. The building wide one comes with extra sheets for others in your building to sign along with you if tenants care to join in making their building a better place to live in.
Start a paper trail with a polite short letter to the landlord sent certified. Keep copies of everything, all conversations, correspondence, and date everything so that way in case LL wants to scare you with the words "court" and "legal action," you will be prepared. Continue to be a good tenant and pay your rent on time as holding it back will only backfire on you, believe it or not. The paper trail and filing with DHCR and the NYC Housing office will get the LL going on doing what is required of LL to do pronto.
: I currently live in Manhattan in a rent stabilized apt. I have an old lease which ended in 1999 but the landlord has not renewed.
: Yesterday as I was trying to get my heat restored I had a big argument with my landlord and they made it my responsibility to deal with the problem. In this heated argument with them yelling at the top of their lungs for me to do all their work for them they yelled "If you don't like it with the hell out of the apartment" 3 times and they also hung up on me twice.
: I want to file a harassment complaint with DHCR. Anyone know if this is effective? Is it a good idea. Housing court and a landlord I know say yes.
: I have not filed an HP action yet for all the services they have withheld. I am organizing my building to do so.
: Any opinions/experience in this area much appreciated.
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