Landlord Removed Closet Spaces

Tenants complained of a reduction in building-wide services after landlord terminated license agreements for separate closet spaces in the building's public hallways. Landlord claimed that these written agreements, which were separate from tenants' leases, allowed landlord to discontinue the service on 30-days' notice. The DRA ruled for tenants and reduced their rents. Landlord appealed and lost. It didn't matter what the license agreements said. Once landlord provided the hallway closet spaces to tenants, they became a required service under rent stabilization.

322 West 57th Street: DHCR Adm. Rev. Docket No. YG410097RO (3/2/11) [5-pg. doc.]