LIVING CONDITIONS ISSUES

Apartment building owners are expected to ensure their buildings remain in good condition for tenants and to promptly address any maintenance issues. If you encounter a problem, you can easily report it for the building, unit, or common area. Your prompt action can help landlords address the issues effectively.

PRIVATE RENTAL

That’s when you rent a house or apartment from someone else, not the government. You are the tenant in a private property, and the owner is the lessor.
 
Action steps to report damage or living conditions issues:
 
1. Contact your super and/or landlord about the needed repair, either directly or with the management company.
 
2. If your superintendent or building management company is not responsive, write a letter to the owner of the building. For assistance with writing a letter to your landlord, refer to the template provided below.
 
Date
Landlord Name
Landlord Address
Landlord City, State and ZIP Code
 
Re: Address of the Property
 
Dear [Landlord’s Name]
 
On [date], the [short description of the problem]. I notified you of the problem by phone on [date]. You informed me [resolution suggested by the landlord].
 
Please consider this letter as a follow-up to my initial telephone call informing you of the problem and a confirmation of your promise to remedy the situation by [date].
 
Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
 
3. If the problem is still not fixed, file a complaint with the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) by calling 3-1-1. Follow up your case online at
hpdonline.nyc.gov/hpdonline
 
4. If maintenance problems are severe, consider filing an HP Action in Housing Court. Learn how at nycourts.gov/courts/nyc/housing/startinghp.shtml.
 

Just Fix

Justfix.nyc is a valuable and secure tool for tenants to use when requesting repairs from their landlord. The platform enables tenants to send a formal letter via USPS Certified Mail, ensuring that the request is both official and documented. Additionally, the service follows up with the tenant to verify whether the landlord has addressed the issue. To access these benefits, simply create a password-protected account with your first and last name, address, lease type, and phone number.
 
Visit justfix.org to create an account, and address a repair request to your landlord.
 

RENT STABILIZED APARTMENT

If your apartment is rent-stabilized and the problem is not fixed, file a complaint about maintenance issues online with the NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) at rent.hcr.ny.gov/RentConnect/Tenant/DecreasedServicesOverview.

PUBLIC HOUSING OR NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY (NYCHA)

1. If you live in a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) property, call the NYCHA Customer Contact Center Report at 718-707-7771 or create a maintenance ticket at my.nycha.info/MyNYCHA.
 
Have in hand the following information before your call:
 
► Your name, address, telephone number, and the name of your development
► The location of the emergency (if it applies): apartment, lobby, hallway, stairwell, etc.
► The floors affected
► When and how the problem began
► Previous work ticket number (if applicable)
 
2. If your superintendent or building management company is not responsive, consider asking your doctor for a letter of advocacy. Your doctor can find useful templates at nyscheck.org/clinician_letters.
 
3. If maintenance problems are severe, consider obtaining services from a non-profit legal organization to get repairs done. For example, Legal Services NYC offer free services to the community at legalservicesnyc.org. You can also call 311 and ask for the “Tenant Helpline”.
 
Learn more at nyc/gov/hpd.
 
Updated on March 14, 2024