A tenant in a Stratford Avenue apartment has filed a lawsuit against its landlord after months of living without essentials.
It started with a notice that the building’s gas would be shut down in January. Since then, the tenant says he lives without heating.
With the help of the Legal Aid Society, they sued four owners: Patbru Realty, Concord Management, Michael Rooney, and Michael Rooney Jr. The city’s Department of Housing Conservation and Development was also named.
Lawsuit allegations range from negligence to apartment repairs, heating, water outages, and other code violations.
Michael Rooney’s lawyers claimed Con Ed shut off the gas due to a gas line that failed a pressure test.
Tennant claims there was no heating, but he said the boiler’s pilot light was converted to electricity, so there was always heat in the building.
He also said reinstalling the gas lines will take time and work is underway. It is expected to be completed by the end of August.
However, the gas won’t turn on until Coned and the Building Department reinspect.
Lawyers for Tennant said the case could be resolved. But if not, decide on the next step.
The tenants are also trying to establish a tenant union to prevent such a situation from happening in the future.