Our partner, Jarred I. Kassenoff, appeared in Sunday's New York Times Real Estate Section responding to a reader's question.
Here's the piece in its entirety:
Does the Landlord Do Windows?
By JAY ROMANO
Q I am a rent-stabilized tenant. Who is responsible for cleaning my apartment's exterior windows?
A "While the owner of a rent-stabilized unit is obligated to provide certain 'required services' like painting, the cleaning of windows is not expressly included under the law," said Jarred I. Kassenoff, a Manhattan real estate lawyer.
A tenant could argue that window cleaning is "maintenance," if that service was previously provided by the landlord as of a certain "base date," which will vary depending on when the building became subject to rent stabilization. The tenant should make a written request to the landlord to perform the work and, if denied, make an application to the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal for a determination as to whether this service is legally mandated.