I live on a floor of a brownstone which has been partitioned. It turns out the partition is illegal because it makes there only one means of egress in case of fire. The local FDNY was going to violate it more than a month ago, but after a desperate few days, I was able to talk to the Lieutenant and he just changed the dispatcher's card to indicate to use ladders on the front window to evacuate tenants in the event of a fire. He said that was the end of it as far as the FDNY was concerned.
Now though, the DOB has said the partition must come down and tenants must move out. I got a text message from my landlord Wednesday. He said briefly on the phone that the DOB would fine him 5K and he would rather give it to my wife to move… so he can submit architect/construction plan and avoid DOB fines.
I have been told by a friend who is a real estate agent that my landlord is clearly in the wrong and actually cannot even collect rent on an illegal unit, cannot legally evict me, and I can leave on my own time and have a legal case against him as well (as he knowingly violated the law for 10 years and put our lives at risk by renting us a fire trap, which we have paid almost 128k for over the years.)
The one thing I have not found out yet is whether the DOB can evict us, and when that might happen. My landlord will not answer questions or communicate with me in any way on any kind of timeline given by the DOB, etc. He has only sent me several unspecific text messages.
I am going to try and consult an attorney this week.