Landlord Discontinued Building's Laundry Room Service

Rent-stabilized tenants complained of a reduction in building-wide services after landlord removed washers and dryers from a building laundry room after decades of use. Landlord claimed that this wasn't a required service because the laundry service was at all times provided by an independent contractor at a separate charge to tenants. Inspection showed that the washers and dryers were in place but there was no gas supply to the dryers. Landlord also failed to submit to the DRA requested copies of the laundry service contract since 1984, when landlord registered the laundry room as a building service. The DRA ruled for tenants and reduced their rents. Landlord appealed and lost. The washers and dryers were a required service that landlord failed to provide.

68 Montague, LLC: DHCR Admin. Rev. Docket No. FV230026RO (8/17/18) [3-pg. doc.]