I live in Queens NY, private two family home, first floor apartment for 15 years, rent unstabilized, no lease. Landlord has been doing lots of remodeling (construction work) in his apartment including sledge hammering until 9:30pm on weekdays. He has ripped out the floors and walls. I get up at 5:00am for work and so does my husband. On 3/26/02 my husband came home from work at 6:30pm. Considering there was persistent banging by not one, but more than one individuals, my husband asked him very nicely if he would stop the hammering until after dinner (7:30pm). His reply was "No" and that he has to finish tonight. He also said if he stops he is going to fall asleep and not finish. My husband asked again and the landlord said ok I’ll stop for you (sarcastically). My husband & I went out and came back @ 8:45pm.
Its now 9pm. The banging continued. My husband knocked on the door and asked to stop the banging its getting crazy. They refused. So, my husband and I called the police. The 911 operator even heard the banging over the phone. Police gave him a warning and this is on record. The landlord's wife actually asked if they could continue because they have contractors coming tomorrow to lay down new tiles on the floor. The police told her that she could continue, WITHOUT THE NOISE. Mind you, all this construction has been going on for about a month and a half now. The police came last week on Tuesday. This past Tuesday, the LL came downstairs and asked us to move within 30 days (by end of month). My husband told him that is not enough time, but the LL said his daughter is moving in. He has his niece from Greece living in the basement, paying rent!!!
I am a very brittle diabetic and this family has caused me such stress, I ended in the hospital from skyrocketed blood glucose sugars (for a couple of months). My husband and I got married this past September and he raised the rent two days before our wedding by $150.
Also, since I have been living here, he has been charging me for hot water. I pay my own gas and electric. The ConEd bills were $150+, but when my husband and I married, boy did the ConEd bills drop. I still have all statements from ConEd for past year or two. The LL never lets ConEd in to read the meters. The LL either calls the meter readings in or we get an estimated bill. ConEd said, that I am not being charged for the downstairs illegal apartment. How can I be sure? I do not trust this LL.
Can he actually evict us just because we made a complaint?