- 3 - petitioner owned this building. Petitioner described the building as rundown, but occupied by a few persons. When he bought the building, the previous owner and tenants had been at loggerheads with regard to services in the building. Water was leaking from one bedroom to the other, and the floors of the bathrooms and kitchens were bad. Petitioner claimed he worked on the property to make it habitable. As indicated below, petitioner did not rent the apartments. Some of the tenants from the prior ownership continued to occupy the building but did not pay rent to petitioner. We conclude that the apartment building was not habitable, except perhaps for a few squatters. In 1991, petitioner never collected rent from the squatters because, he claimed, he would get involved with the "landlord and tenants court". Petitioner never rented any apartments to any legitimate tenants in 1991 because, he said, of the same fears. Petitioner explained these fears as follows: "I would be sued by the tenants because I couldn't stop the water that was escaping and going down on the other [apartments]". When neighbors inquired as prospective tenants about an apartment, petitioner said: "I've already got enough trouble with the [squatters who] threaten to sue me and the position is that the water repairs are being done, it will make it difficult for you, if you want to rent it in that way give me in writing that you will not sue me I'll be happy to rent to you." No one was willing to do so. Petitioner never collected any rent with respect to the apartmentPage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011