I live in New York City, Brooklyn in a 4-unit building built sometime around 1920. The unit is not regulated. I have a lease, and I am the only tenant.
This is the second time I have had to vacate my apartment for repairs. Both times I fortunately had a place to stay, but it was out of state and I had travel expenses. Also I'm paying rent while I'm unable to use the apartment. The previous time was for about 5 days and the landlord would not compensate me for anything. This time I'm away for over a week - I left on a Sunday morning, returning on a Monday day. The landlord agreed in advance to compensate me for travel, but I want to be compensated for a week of lost rent as well. Is there any law or legal precedent for this? I want to be prepared before I speak with the landlord. I believe I am being reasonable. The disruption was huge both times. I had to dismantle and reassemble my main living areas for demolition and construction. There was cleanup. And there was the loss of home use. To be absolutely clear, I'm not seeking anything for the previous time, or extra damages. The landlord already agreed to the travel expenses. I need to know if I have a right to be compensated for the time I am deprived of use of my apartment.
Thank you.