No trash, no lease, no buzzer...

[LESrenter]

Hi:

Me and my fiance are living in an apartment in a hip neighborhood in NYC -- the rent is decent and electric/gas included. The apartment isn't that great though (fire trap?) and I didn't sign a lease with the LL because he wanted a 'gentlemans agreement'. This in mind, I know I have obligated myself to being a gentleman but the facts are shady;

1.there is no garbage pickup so I have to dump at the corner trash basket, which I know is illegal. Is it legal for him to rent an apartment with no lease and have no trash pickups?

2.if I stop paying rent he can turn off my electricity and gas because he controls it, is that legal?

3.my neighbors (who seemingly pay for their own electricity) haven't paid him rent in 6 months and owe like $7000 but everytime they go to court the LL tells me he cant evict them because they 'Show Cause'...how much cause can you possibly show after 10 court proceedings? Why do judges let tenants get away with not paying for over 6 months? If they dont pay, why should I?

Anyway, those are my concerns, any help or comments appreciated.

Thanks

[Cranky Tenant]

This sounds remarkably like an illegal loft I used to live in on the Lower East Side. The building was zoned for commercial use only. The landlord paid for all utilities, but there was no buzzer, no garbage pick-up, fire excape, no super, and the LL never fixed anything.

It's possible the LL hasn't evicted your neighbors because he doesn't have a certifcate of occupancy and is afraid to take them to court.