Broad Channel Landlord/Tenant Dispute in the News....

From: The Daily News Web Site....

Broad Channel tenants say landlord refused to fix sewage and roof leaks and rodent infestation

BY Lisa L. Colangelo
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

                   

Thomas Cavanagh said rodents infested the attic of his home at 13-13 Cross Bay Blvd. in Broad Channel, but the landlord refused to fix the problem. His family was evicted for withholding rent.

A Queens family of seven is scrambling to find a place to live after their landlord served them with an eviction notice the day before Thanksgiving. 

Laura and Thomas Cavanagh said began withholding rent on the Broad Channel home after their landlord refused to fix dozens of problems — ranging from black mold under the sink to a rodent infestation in the attic.

The city Department of Housing Preservation and Development has slapped property owner Anthony Adamkiewicz with more than two-dozen violations.

“This is like hell,” said Thomas Cavanagh, 52, a plumber, who moved into the house in early 2010. “I used to try to fix little things but [the landlord\] didn’t fix anything.”

But Adamkiewicz’s son, Gerald, said the Cavanaghs were “horrible” tenants.

“They wrecked our house,” said Adamkiewicz’s son, Gerald. “They caused all these violations so they didn’t have to pay rent and then they wouldn’t let us fix anything.”

The Cavanaghs said the three-bedroom house, which they rented for $1,300 a month, initially seemed like a good deal. The couple lives with their four children and Laura’s 70-year-old mother, Rosalie Criscuola.

One night, a few weeks after they moved in, Thomas Cavanagh slipped on the kitchen floor during a late night trip to the bathroom.

“That’s when we realized the roof was leaking,” he said.

The leaks multiplied and the family withheld rent for several months. They paid Adamkiewicz when he promised to make repairs but

he never followed through on those promises, they said.

Laura Cavanagh said the city sent a repair crew to fix busted sewer pipes because it caused an emergency health hazard.

The Cavanaghs stopped paying rent again earlier this year. They called HPD inspectors, who visited and documented dozens of problems. The matter ended up in housing court this summer.

“There was a tenant action on the property and an Order to Correct was issued,” HPD spokeswoman Juliet Morris said in a statement.

“The owner cited inability to obtain adequate access to the property. The tenant did not appear on that date so the court vacated the original Order to Correct,” Morris added.

The issue is slated to be reheard in court on Monday.

The Cavanaghs said they never blocked Adamkiewicz from the property. They are currently staying in a hotel.

“We had to get out of there. The sewer started backing up,” said Laura Cavanagh. “People need to know about this so they won’t rent from him anymore.”