Basement apartment

[sylviekell]

Report your landlord to the Department of Buildings because the basement apartment is illegal in New York City. All basement apartments are.

Also, check the Certificate of Occupancy and see if his house is registered as a multiple dwelling. Also, see if your block is zoned R1 or R2. If it is zoned either of those codes, then he has a single-occupancy dwelling and all the apartments are illegal.

You cannot rent an apartment blindly in NYC, you MUST first check all of this out for your own safety. Don't take a real estate broker's word for it that it is legal, they are all liars who are looking for their commission.