Rent Restored After Fire Damage Repaired

Rent-stabilized tenant complained of a reduction in services after a fire left her apartment uninhabitable. The DRA ruled for tenant and reduced her rent to $1 per month, until the apartment was restored. Landlord later applied for rent restoration after it made repairs and tenant moved back in. The DRA ruled for landlord and tenant appealed. Tenant claimed that there were still outstanding repairs needed. There were no smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the apartment, no heat in the bedroom, water leaked when the heater was on, and the front door didn't close automatically. The DHCR ruled against tenant. These conditions didn't make the apartment uninhabitable, and tenant's rent was properly restored.

Levine: DHCR Adm. Rev. Docket No. XI410031RT (6/10/10) [3-pg. doc.]