Tenant Bought Own Refrigerator

Tenant complained of a reduction in services and claimed she had to buy her own refrigerator. The DRA ruled for tenant and ordered landlord to reimburse tenant for the cost of the new appliance. Landlord appealed, claiming that he had offered to buy tenant a replacement refrigerator but that tenant only wanted a new refrigerator. Tenant claimed that the replacement refrigerator offered by landlord was infested with vermin and that she was forced to replace the refrigerator herself. The DHCR ruled for landlord. Once tenant resorted to self-help, there was no longer any issue of reduced services for the DRA to decide. Whether or not landlord should reimburse tenant for the new refrigerator was an issue which should be raised in court, not before the DHCR.

Gross: DHCR Adm. Rev. Dckt. No. HC210169RO (5/30/96) [3-page document]