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Posted by Kika on September 30, 1998 at 17:07:30:

In Reply to: Landlord Won't Make Repairs But Wants His Rent (and has a go-between to collect rent and complaints!) posted by Kika on September 30, 1998 at 16:49:58:

: I moved into an apt. in queens, ny about four years ago. i was young and naive, and took the apartment "as is", the former tenant having lived there over 20 years and had just passed away. The rent was pretty reasonable at the time so I took it. The apt. hadn't been painted or fixed because, as the agent explained to me, the rent would have to go up otherwise. I was naive and let it go. Now four years later, I've tried to deal with it on my own, doing the classic withholding of rent, so the cycle's been like this: I withhold rent, she calls me to threaten to throw me out, I tell her I need repairs done and what they are, she promises to get them done, I pay the rent, I end up with the same apt. with no repairs. I felt helpless. What I want to know is: what are my rights regarding getting a paint job and a new stove? I have since signed two leases, one of which was an extension of the lease I had. Does an extension still cover the same stuff as the "regular lease"? Do I have a right to know the full address and home phone of my landlord? am i in the right to contact the landlord directly instead of going through the go-between? should I call an inspector to go through the apartment? in the meantime, I'm paying back what I owe but I'm really upset about this. I see it as, I'm not three year's behind on rent, but you're three year's behind on fixing stuff so who's winning and who's hurting here?

there's also the story on the hot water -- it seems to go out at around 9 a.m. during the winter time and comes on during the afternoon or evening....during the winter. i also wonder what the legal set-up is for heat during the wintertime for apts (it seems the heat always kicks in during the late morning and during the day (while I'm off to work) but shuts off by evening (when i'm home), leaving me to freeze, literally, burrowing under a bunch of comforters during the night. is this right or is the landlord supposed to supply heat when it drops below a certain point, or one hour on one hour off?

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: : I moved into an apt. in queens, ny about four years ago.  i was young and naive, and took the apartment "as is", the former tenant having lived there over 20 years and had just passed away.  The rent was pretty reasonable at the time so I took it. The apt. hadn't been painted or fixed because, as the agent explained to me, the rent would have to go up otherwise.  I was naive and let it go.  Now four years later, I've tried to deal with it on my own, doing the classic withholding of rent, so the cycle's been like this:  I withhold rent, she calls me to threaten to throw me out, I tell her I need repairs done and what they are, she promises to get them done, I pay the rent, I end up with the same apt. with no repairs.  I felt helpless.  What I want to know is:  what are my rights regarding getting a paint job and a new stove?  I have since signed two leases, one of which was an extension of the lease I had.  Does an extension still cover the same stuff as the "regular lease"?  Do I have a right to know the full address and home phone of my landlord?  am i in the right to contact the landlord directly instead of going through the go-between?  should I call an inspector to go through the apartment?  in the meantime, I'm paying back what I owe but I'm really upset about this.  I see it as, I'm not three year's behind on rent, but you're three year's behind on fixing stuff so who's winning and who's hurting here?  

: there's also the story on the hot water -- it seems to go out at around 9 a.m. during the winter time and comes on during the afternoon or evening....during the winter.  i also wonder what the legal set-up is for heat during the wintertime for apts (it seems the heat always kicks in during the late morning and during the day (while I'm off to work) but shuts off by evening (when i'm home), leaving me to freeze, literally, burrowing under a bunch of comforters during the night.  is this right or is the landlord supposed to supply heat when it drops below a certain point, or one hour on one hour off?



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