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How often do
rent stabilized apartment have to be painted?
If
you live in a rent stabilized apartment them by law your landlord has to
paint your apartment every 3 years.
What
are the Rent Guides Percentage for this year?
The
Rent Guidelines for the leases starting between 10/01/07 to 9/30/08:
One-year
renewal lease beginning on or after October 1--- 3.00%
Two-year
renewal lease beginning on or after October 1--- 5.75%
Can
my landlord charge me for a washing machine that I have in my apartment?
Yes,
the new law states that if you have a washing machine or a dishwasher in
your apartment the landlord may charge you “Appliance Surcharges” witch
are:
$13.62
– washing machine.
$3.77
– dishwasher.
What is a DRIE
program?
DRIE
program stands for Disability Rent Increase Exemption. To qualify for
DRIE, you must:
1. Live in a rent
regulated apartment,
2. Be named on
the lease;
3. Receive
eligible state or federal disability-related financial assistance;
4. Meet the
program’s income eligibility requirements;
5. Pay more than
one-third of their household income in rent.
If
you need assistance please call our office (718) 435-7585 or 311
To
contact Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.
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How
can I apply for DRIE?
To
apply for DRIE you can call our office at (718) 435-7585 or you can
call Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities at (212) 788-2830
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I
have repair issues in my apartment and my landlord refuses to fix them,
what are my options?
The
first thing you should do is write a letter to your landlord (LL) and
send it out Return Receipt Requested (RRR), after you’ve done that you
should wait at least 10 days for your LL to respond. If your LL does not
respond you’ll be able to file for a rent reduction or take him/her to
housing court, for further assistance please call our office at (718) 435-7585.
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I moved out, landlord doesn’t want to
give me back security deposit, what should I do?
By
law the Landlord can hold you Security Deposit if you broke the lease or
you’ve done damages to the apartment. If you did not do the above then
Landlord must return your Security Deposit within 3 month after you’ve
moved out. If you having a problem
with getting your security deposit back you can call our office at (718) 435-7585.
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I
live in apartment for 15 years, I never received interest on my security
deposit, what should I do?
The
first thing you should do is write a letter to your landlord and send it
Return Receipt Requested; if you didn’t receive an answer from your
landlord within 15 days then you can file a complaint with Attorney
General’s office. For further assistance you can call our office at (718) 435-7585.
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My landlord is
asking me to pay more towards my security deposit, can he do that?
Yes,
by law when you renew your lease you have to update your Security
Deposit. Your Security Deposit must equal to your current rent.
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I
live in a private house, what are my rights?
Unfortunately,
if you live in private house (under 6 units) you have limited rights as a
tenant. Although you live in a
private house your landlord is required to do necessary repairs in the
apartment. Landlord can raise your
rent as much as he/she wants by giving you at least 30 days before the
raise.
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I had a fire
in my apartment due to electrical wiring, a lot of my belongings got
damaged, is the landlord responsible for the damages?
If
you had a fire in your apartment and it was due to electric wiring etc.,
and your landlord refusing to reimburse you for your lost then you can
take your landlord to Small Claims Court to resolve these issue.
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How can I find out if my apartment is
rent regulated?
If you are not sure if your apartment is regulated you can
call Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) at (718) 739-6400.
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Can I use my Security Deposit for my
last month rent?
No,
it is illegal for a tenant to use their security deposit for the last
month’s rent. The landlord has the
right to take you to court and sue you for the last month of rent. The reason you are asked to pay a
security deposit before you sign a lease agreement is so that when you
move out if you have damaged your apartment beyond normal wear and tear,
your landlord has the right to use the security deposit to fix whatever
damages you caused. You have the
right to ask to see how much money your landlord spent to correct all of
the damages in your apartment.
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I
was offered low income housing but my lease will expire in 6 (six)
months. Is it okay for me to break
my lease in the middle of the term?
Based
on the rent stabilization law, it is illegal for the tenant to break or
terminate the lease. However, in
your case you must notify your landlord in writing 30 days prior to
moving out. In your letter you
must explain the reason why you are breaking the lease. Let your landlord know that you were
offered an apartment for low income families and due to your financial
situation you can not turn this offer down. Do not forget to date and sign your
letter. Make a copy for yourself
and send the original to your landlord certified with return receipt
requested. PLEASE NOTE that your landlord still has the right to take
you to court and demand payment of the rent until your lease expires or
until your apartment is rented to someone else. If you notified your landlord in
writing 30 days before moving out.
It will be up to the judge to decide whether or not you will be
liable for breaking your lease.
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If you have any questions or you need
further assistance please do not hesitate to call us at 718-435-7585.
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