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2026 NY Slip Op 26055

Citation
2026 NY Slip Op 26055
Jurisdiction
New York (state)
Source verification
cross_accepted_sealed

Full Text

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Tenant Debbie West's testimony was the most disturbing. Tenant West was also a first-floor resident of Building #3, unit 102, with a monthly rent of $791.00. In addition to the brown water, no hot water, and no heat (she testified that she was forced to use the stove to heat the apartment in the winter months), tenant's apartment was flooded with sewage. Tenant testified that on or about May 28, 2025, she returned to find her apartment flooded with sewage water and fecal matter. The sewage was leaking from a broken pipe in the vacant apartment directly across from her apartment, filling the floors of the hall and neighboring apartments. Tenant West used her pillows and other personal items in an attempt to keep the sewage out of her apartment and salvage many of her belongings. Tenant West tried to call the property manager and Code Enforcement for assistance to no avail. She was forced to take five (5) days off from work to clean the ankle-deep sewage and water in her apartment. Although a member of janitorial later provided a wet vac, Tenant West spent days squeegeeing the muck out of her apartment and into the hallway. Even after Tenant West was able to clean up the sewage, the smell remained for weeks until property management finally moved her to another unit. The unit she was moved to had a rodent infestation due to the piles of trash and garbage accumulating with no waste removal services. Tenant West requested $1,545.20 in itemized damages in addition to personal possessions ruined from sewage, lost wages, and the difference between rental value and rent paid. With permission of the Court, Tenant West moved from the Nob Hill complex on or about September 2025.