Landlord Must Restore Screen Doors

Tenants complained of a reduction in building-wide services based on landlord's removal of apartment screen doors. The DRA ruled for tenants. Landlord, which was a cooperative corporation, later applied for rent restoration, claiming that services had been restored. The DRA ruled against landlord based on an inspection that showed that the screen doors hadn't been replaced. Individual apartment owners appealed. They claimed that the co-op corporation removed the screen doors and that apartment owners shouldn't be responsible. They also claimed that the apartment screen doors violated the N.Y.C. building code, and that they weren't a required service. The DHCR ruled against apartment owners. They were responsible, even if the co-op corporation had removed the doors. They submitted no proof that the doors violated the building code. And no one had previously raised any claim that the doors weren't a required service.

Puma: DHCR Adm. Rev. Dckt. No. SG130029RO (12/24/04) [3-pg. doc.]