My landlord never followed through on promised improvements. Where do I turn for breach of lease?
Your rights are defined by your lease and by state and local law. If the lease specifies the services or improvements and the landlord has not performed, s/he has breached a legitimate contract and you may demand damages or performance. If the improvements simply concern amenities which do not effect the habitability of the apartment, you could sue the landlord for damages or to force him or her to abide by the terms of the lease. The court you choose will depend upon the amount of damages claimed and the type of relief sought. If the improvements concern habitability, you may seek an inspection to determine if there are housing code violations and you could sue for repairs in the “HP Part” of the Housing Court. If the improvements involve a service which has previously been supplied to the tenants of the building, you may want to consider filing a reduction of service complaint with the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) at (718) 739-6400. We suggest you o
