Bathroom Vent Exhaust Not Working Properly

DOB issued a violation notice to landlord for failing to maintain tenant's apartment in a safe condition. DOB's inspector saw that the vents in tenant's two bathrooms weren't exhausting air, but instead were blowing air into the bathrooms. The inspector also checked the vent fans elsewhere in the building and found that they weren't turned on. Landlord claimed that tenant, a condo unit owner, refused access to perform maintenance work. DOB ruled against landlord and fined it $500. Landlord appealed and lost. The problem didn't result solely from tenant's refusal to give access. Tenant claimed he started complaining a year before he bought the apartment, and well before he denied access. And inspection showed there was a problem with the building's bathroom exhaust fans, which were located outside tenant's apartment.

Riverwest Condominium Assoc.: ECB App. No. 1000063 (7/22/10) [3-pg. doc.]