Q: I’m a senior who has lived quietly in my rent-stabilized Brooklyn house for 22 years. For the final three years, my home is infested with biting mosquitoes. I’ve eliminated infested issues – furnishings, carpet, garments, bedding – however the bugs hold biting me all through the night time. My complaints to administration have gone unanswered. I paid an exterminator $200 to no avail. One other exterminator stated my landlord needed to make the request, not me. After I known as 311, a metropolis inspector visited my house and contacted the owner, who advised me the issue had been resolved. I challenged him, however the matter was closed anyway. I’ve opened a brand new criticism and have not bought the inspection achieved but. What can I do?
A: You shouldn’t dwell with vermin, together with bugs. It’s your landlord’s duty to repair this downside. So enhance the stress.
Hold calling 311, and name typically. It is doable that your newest request was forwarded to the unsuitable metropolis company (it must be dealt with by the Division of Housing Preservation and Improvement), otherwise you missed a name from an inspector.
HPD spokesman William Fowler stated, “There’s nothing unsuitable with submitting a number of complaints.” “All this helps create a paper path and will increase the stress on the proprietor to unravel the issue.”
Since bugs are biting you in your sleep, request an inspection for bedbugs as effectively, as you will have a couple of infestation and may have a couple of sort of inspection.
Whereas your 311 calls work their approach by way of the system, you’ll be able to file what is named an HP continuing with the Housing Court docket. It will carry your criticism earlier than a choose, who can order the owner to repair the issue. You don’t want an lawyer to file a housing courtroom case.
“Now the owner has to face earlier than a choose,” stated Samuel J. stated Himmelstein, who represents the tenants. “It’s extremely unlikely that they declare the issue has been resolved in the event that they haven’t. Then they might be committing perjury; they could possibly be held in contempt.
Name your neighborhood board and your native metropolis council member’s workplace, and ask them to advocate for you. On June 6, the HPD is internet hosting a coaching occasion on Zoom the place residents can learn to take care of pests and vermin. You may join this on-line. This will present some helpful data.
For weekly electronic mail updates on residential actual property information, join right here.
