NO COOKING GAS FOR 3 MOS NOW ! S.O.S...???

[Concerned Tenant]

Greetings all.

I'm hoping someone can help me in this difficult situation.

I'm renting a 1bdrm rent stabilized apt in queens and 2 days after I payed my rent the building's gas was shut off by FDNY. Apparently, a tenant in my building had some form of water leak of sorts and fell and called the fire dept. When FDNY arrrived, for safety reasons, they shut the gas off. ConEd arrived shortly and said that an " integrity test " must be performed before the gas can be turned on again. Sadly, the building is so old that its pipes are guaranteed to fail the test because they are too old. So, the LL was required to install new pipes in the entire building which house 24 units. Since Nov. 16 2002, I have had no cooking gas. The LL said that the installation would take at least 60days and said it was not his fault that this occurred.

I'm asking anyone isn't there some form of rent reduction for not having cooking gas for at least 3 months???... The LL said that it was FDNYs fault and ConEd did their standard protocol which is to perform an integrity test.

I'm asking anyone for any advice in how to handle this situation. I'm told from the LL that the gas should be back on this week. The sad thing is is that most of the tenants do not that they have rights. I am the only one as I'm concerned to find out any possible answers.

[Lilly]

I went thru the same thing 10 years ago-bought a microwave, a double hot-plate and a toaster oven. It doesn't sound like its the LL's fault and from what you say it sounds like he is proceeding with repairs in a timely manner. Even so, you still might be entitled to a rent reduction; check with DHCR.http://www.dhcr.state.ny.us/.