NO HEAT, NO PRIVACY

[alize809us]

I JUST FOUNG OUT ABOUT THIS FORUM AND IM HOPING SOMEONE COULD GIVE ME SOME ADVICE. WELL HERE IS THE PROBLEM.
WE LIVE IN THIS REALLY BIG HOUSE, 3 FLOORS= 3 APARTMENTS,ON THE BACK OF THE HOUSE AND 4 FLOORS=4 APARTMENTS IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE. NOW THE LANDORD FIXED THIS HOUSE SO EACH APARTMENT DOES NO HAVE A LIVING ROOM,HE MADE IT A BEDROOM WHICH IS WHERE WE STAY, SO EACH APARTMENT IS RENTED BY ROOMS WHICH TO MY UNDERSTANDING THIS IS ILEGAL RIGHT?NOW WE PAY WEEKLY RENT $130 A WEEK FOR OUR ROOM (OUR APARTMENT HAS 3 OTHER BEDROOMS,RENTED)WHICH IS TOO MUCH,WE LIVE IN QUEENS,NY.NOW OUR LANDORD WILL ONLY GIVE US HEAT FROM 3-AM-ABOU 7AM,HE HAS LOWERED OUR ELECTRICITY POWER SO IN THE MONRING WHEN MY NEXT ROOMATES ARE UP I CANT EVEN TURN ON MY IRON CAUSE THE LIGHTS WILL GO OFF,ALSO OUR I HAVE CAUGHT MY LANDORD GOING INTO MY ROOMATES ROOMS WHILE THEY ARE NOT THERE,THEY ARE CONSTANTLY COMING INTO OUR APARTMENT LIKE THEY LIVE HERE CHECKING US CONSTANTLY. NOW LAST BUT NOT LEAST THEY WANT TO RAISE THE RENT $10 MORE A WEEK THAT WILL MAKE ME PAY $560 EVERY FOUR WEEKS. IS THIS RIGHT ANY ADVICE, SHOULD I BE CALLING THE DEPT OF BUILDINGS ON THEM?

I RECENTLY OVERHEARD THEY WERE GOING TO BUY A NEW HOUSE TO RENT ALL BY ROOMS ALSO.THESE PEOPLE MAKE ABOUT $2000 EVERY 4 WEEKS ON JUST THIS APT AND THIS HOUSE HAS 6-7 DIFF APTS PRICE RANGE 480-600 A ROOM.

[Cranky Tenant]

I would suggest you find a new place to live as soon as possible.

This sounds like the one of the many illegal conversions that have been on the news over the past couple of years. I believe I heard somewhere that the City had even assigned a task force to deal with illegal rooming houses in Queens.

The problem is, if you call the Department of Buildings and they find that it is an illegal rooming house, they're likely to order everyone to leave immediately.

[Lilly]

Definately contact the New York City Department of Buildings as soon as possible. Since you have an internet connection, here is the link to their on-line complaint form:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/html/complaint.html

[too trusting]

I've just filled out a complaint for the apt I just left. It's zoned for 2-family but she's got 5 families living in it! Here's the info from the DOH site with the phone number:

Beginning July 17, 2000, just one telephone number, (212) 227-7000, can be used to register a complaint with the Department of Buildings in any of the five boroughs of New York City. DOB's new Central Complaint Center and multi-purpose Interactive Voice Response System (IVR) will create an easier process for the public to bring concerns to our attention and get information.

From Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., specially trained operators will be available to respond to calls. After standard work hours, callers will be directed to leave a message to be returned on the next business day and given instructions for emergency situations.

DOB's new, multi-purpose Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system will provide callers with electronic options for obtaining information, including 24-hour general information about the Department of Buildings, easy access to the Building Information System (DOB's computerized property database) and referral information for other agencies.

From now on, when New Yorkers need to call DOB, all they have to do is dial 212-227-7000.