Laundry Room and Playground Hours Reduced

April 1, 1996

LVT Number: 10504

Tenant complained in 1984 of a reduction in building-wide services. Landlord had reduced laundry room hours from 24 to 18, limited playground access to 10 hours per day, and curtailed the hours of outside messenger access to the building. Landlord claimed that the changes were made for security reasons. While the DHCR initially found no reduction in services, it reconsidered the case and ruled for tenant. Landlord appealed, claiming that the DHCR's decision was unreasonable. And since the case was pending for so long, the DHCR's decision would result in a $40,000 refund to tenant.

Tenant complained in 1984 of a reduction in building-wide services. Landlord had reduced laundry room hours from 24 to 18, limited playground access to 10 hours per day, and curtailed the hours of outside messenger access to the building. Landlord claimed that the changes were made for security reasons. While the DHCR initially found no reduction in services, it reconsidered the case and ruled for tenant. Landlord appealed, claiming that the DHCR's decision was unreasonable. And since the case was pending for so long, the DHCR's decision would result in a $40,000 refund to tenant. The court ruled against landlord, and landlord appealed again. The appeals court ruled for landlord. The particular reductions in the hours of the laundry room and playground couldn't rationally be seen as a failure to maintain required services warranting a rent reduction. There was no proof of any real reduction in services to tenants.

Grenadier Realty Corp. v. DHCR: NYLJ, p. 26, col. 3 (3/25/96) (App. Div. 1 Dept.; Murphy, PJ, Sullivan, Ellerin, Ross, JJ)

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