Refrigerator Properly Repaired

Rent-stabilized tenant complained of a reduction in services. She said that her refrigerator door handle needed to be replaced. The DRA ruled for tenant and reduced her rent. Landlord later sought rent restoration based on restoring the service. Landlord said that it had replaced the refrigerator door handle. Tenant claimed that she was unable to put her hand through the opening of the new door handle. The DRA ruled against landlord and refused to restore tenant's rent. Landlord appealed. The DHCR ruled for landlord and restored the rent. It didn't matter whether tenant could put her hand through the refrigerator door handle. Tenant didn't claim that she was unable to open the refrigerator or that it was difficult to open the door with the new handle. Photographs of the replacement door handle also show that the new handle was suitable for that model.

Fields: DHCR Adm. Rev. Docket No. WH410052RO (12/4/08) [3-pg. doc.]