When I signed my lease for my rent stabiized apartment I had a door that led to a backyard from my kitchen and an entry door from the kitchen to the outside hallway. The door towards the front of the house had been blocked off by the landlord. My landlord said it was okay because the housing code says this six family frame building is required to have two doorways for each apartment but there is no specification is made as to where they should be. Okay, no problem with that because I have more wall space and this worked to my advantage. However, 2 1/2 years ago, the landlord without notice blocked me from used of the backyard by building a five foot wrought iron fence, kind of like a jail cell around the landing of the stairs leading the to back yard. He piled all my plants and patio funiture completely to the top and then he put a big silver lock on the door. NO Exit. This was in retaliation for calling in an illegal basement apartment being used by a stripper to "entertain" guests. Noise and drugs and sex sounds five nights a week for 10 months. No relief from the landlord, who himself was down there often enough. I turned in the apartment after many notices to the LL and he within a few weeks retaliated by shutting me off from the backyard.
I went to court over losing the backyard and lost on the basis that it wasn't in the lease that I should have it. Okay, that's not over. However, now I have only the kitchen door as an exit. Of course, I am on the first floor and can go out the front windows easily enough. What I want to know: is the apartment now in violation of the building and fire codes? My friend who is a landlord in this neighborhood says yes and also says I probably don't have to pay rent until the lock is removed. I have cleared the landing of the ruined plants and have cleared access to the locked door. Is this apartment in violation and is my friend correct about the rent?