Landlord Must Restore Key Access to Storage Room

Tenant complained of a reduction in services. He claimed that landlord wouldn't give him a key to the storage room---although a key had been provided previously between 1972 and 1987. Landlord denied that tenant ever had official permission to use the storage room, and that for security reasons no tenants could have keys. The DRA ruled for tenant, and reduced his rent. Landlord appealed. The DHCR found that landlord didn't directly contradict tenant's claim. Landlord had stated that he didn't know that tenant had a key and that such use wasn't authorized. This was practically an admission that the service had been provided to tenant and was now eliminated. Landlord also admitted that access to public areas in the building had been eliminated wherever possible. Landlord's new offer to allow tenant to leave his bicycle in the storage room by getting the key from the building superintendent also reflects a service reduction from the key access previously given to tenant.

TEG Management Corp.: DHCR Adm. Rev. Dckt. No. CB 120371-RO (9/17/93) [3-page document]