Happy monday all,
I have lived at my current apartment (two family house) for the past 8 years and have never missed a rent payment. I have never asked my landlord to replace anything in the apartment, live quietly with a roommate, and do not throw any parties. My only guest is my girlfriend who comes over the weekends. I am a working professional in the healthcare IT industry and stick to a regular schedule.
Last weekend, my landlord requested entry to my apartment to do a repair. He informed me that my downstairs neighbor has been complaining about water leaks in his bathroom ceiling. I let my landlord and his craigslist contractor inspect the apartment. The contractor informed my landlord immediately that the shower door had to be replaced due to age and the rubber gaskets disintegrating from use over time.
My landlord instead tells the contractor to apply some caulking to the corner instead of replacing the door. Keep in mind, this showerdoor has been there since I moved in and looked worn out the first day. I decided it wasn't worth arguing over and let the contractor do the repair.
A week goes by and the downstairs neighbor is complaining that there is water leaking from the ceiling. My landlord comes alone to my apartment and decides to install a cheap and ugly green shower curtain/rod BEHIND my shower door effectively making my shower smaller. I asked him what he was doing and why he thought this was a good idea. He told me it was to stop the water from leaking and to see whether there will still be water leaks. I told him that this was an unacceptable repair, that my shower is smaller from an unnecessary curtain hung behind the door, and that he should invest in doing an actual repair for once in the eight years I have been a tenant. I told him the leak is most likely coming from a leaky pipe in the wall behind the shower. There is no visible water leaks around the shower and that he should hire a professional plumber to fix it. He got really defensive and threatened to increase my rent to cover the cost of a real contractor.
I feel completely disrespected by my cheap landlord and I decided to put together a list of violations that I have never formally brought to HPD. I am now considering filing formal complaints everyday for the following issues:
1. Inadequate heat during winter (violates HPD Heat & Hot water rules)
2. Cockroach infestation (I see a giant cockroach once every few days in the summer)
3. Illegal basement tenant
4. Squirrel infestation (I paid for removal + repair in hole in AC Cover)
5. Missing C02 detector
6. Light fixtures hanging precariously on the ceiling
7. Broken fire detector
8. Black mold growing in bathroom which has not gone away from multiple cleanings (I paid)
9. Broken windscreens in windows
10. Broken window (cannot open without window falling out)
Overall, I cannot believe my landlord is unwilling to invest in quality parts for his apartment given how long I have lived there. I found out from his wife that the previous tenant lived in the apartment for 16 years without a single replacement. This means my bathroom is 24 years old! His wife told me that she will speak to him and do proper repairs. She was unaware that he argued with the contractor over the shower door and informed me she wants to keep me as a tenant rather than pursue money.
Am I in the right here? Should I just formally complain and start building a case against him? I don't believe in withholding rent but enough is enough. I am thinking about sending reduced rent until all repairs are made.
Keep in mind, I am living in a pretty well off area (Bayside, Queens) and the type of repairs my landlord has done over the 8 years is equivalent to duct taping a car.
Any advice is greatly appreciated
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