Building's Vestibule Security Camera No Longer Functioned

Tenants complained of a reduction in building-wide services, claiming that landlord wasn’t maintaining the building’s intercom video camera. The DRA ruled for tenants and reduced their rents. Landlord appealed and lost. Landlord argued that there never was an intercom video camera, just a voice intercom system that was separate from the vestibule security camera. Landlord said that the vestibule security camera wasn’t a required service because Cablevision provided it to tenants with landlord’s permission. But tenants had complained that they could no longer view images through the vestibule camera from their apartment televisions via CCTV because their television monitors didn’t work, the antenna cable connection for the camera monitoring system had been disconnected from the security camera for four months, and their television screens indicated “no signal, check antenna cable connection, disconnected.” DHCR inspection showed that the antenna cable was disconnected from the security camera. The service had been provided to tenants for 19 years, and landlord was required to maintain it. To the extent that this wasn't actually part of the intercom system, the DHCR deleted that reference from the DRA’s finding. 

Double A Prop-Turner Place LLC: DHCR Adm. Rev. Docket No. CO230030RO (5/13/15) [4-pg. doc.]