Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in New York
I am renting a house that was recently renovated. There is a 3 season room on the side of the house that my landlord has said he would fix. The roof is leaking, he has temporarily braced up the roof. I have been in this house now 1 1/2 years and still he has not done anything. I texted him the other day to inquire about him working on it this spring, he ignored me. Do I have any legal recourse? I am paying for 200 sq ft of room that i can not use.
Thank you for your time
1 Answer from Attorneys
It's a breach of the warranty of habitability. You are entitled to a rebate in rent already paid and an abatement of the rent going forward. But you have to be ready to move when the lease is up However, leaky residences have this nasty tendency to develop mold which can make you sick. Certainly a landlord who does not wish to lose his shirt will respond quickly if you can find black mold in the moist areas. Just be careful, because some of those molds can kill you or make you very ill.
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