IS OUR APARTMENT LEGAL? IS JOSEPHINE LAZZARINI BATTIALA A SLUMLORD????

Hello Everyone!

       We FINALLY had an inspector from the New York City Department Of  Housing & Preservation after about a Dozen complaints to 311! Well, an Inspector FINALLY showed up at 7:30 P.M. on Friday night to inspect our apartment that included electrical problems in the bathroom and kitchen resulting in no lights. I asked myself who does an inspection at night in the dark? This inspector had no idea of the codes and was not even prepared enough to bring in a flashlight. I explained that one day about 12 days ago I went to use the bathroom I turned on the bathroom light switch only to have a large spark fly from the cieling light and it blew the lights in the bathroom as well as the kitchen. The light fixture in the cieling has some sort of foil applied to it behind the bulbs for some reason. Now this so called "Professional" Licensed City Inspector had me climb onto the water logged damaged vanity and install a light bulb. Believe me this guy had no roots to Albert Einstien in his family tree.
       The funny part was the "SLUMLORD" a.k.a. Josephine Lazzarini Battiala who owns our building at 30-18 44th street in Astoria, Queens 11103, recieved a call from the Inspector or his office that he was coming so she cranked up the heat so we haven't had HOT water that lasted more than 2 minutes in four (4) months I decided to take a shower before he arrived. Well, the "SLUMLORD", I mean Landlord, Josephine Lazzarini Battiala Had it sooooo HOT that not even a minute after I turned the water on and began undressing the HOT water handle came shooting off hitting the back of the tub/shower wall followed by a stream of SCALDING HOT WATER, so I attempted to place the handle back on to at least stop it while my roomate told her or her daughter who thinks she is a contractor to cut off the main water valve. However, even though it was burning my hand I kept trying to get it back over the pipe but it just wouldn't go because I noticed that it was "Jerry Rigged" with silicone that's why it came off because it wasn't used to normal Hot water and became loose so now water is burning me and the rest of the water is gushing downstairs to the poor girls in the apartment below us who have been complaining to the "SLUMLORD" ever since we moved in about the leak when we showered because the floor has no moisture resistant wonderboard nevermind any type of membrane that is required by New York City Law and Code to prevent such accidents. Now my roomate is on the phone with 911 because he was afraid and concerned that the water pouring through the wall into their apartment would hit one of the "SLUMLORD's" illegal wires and cause a fire or electricute one of them. While on the phone one of the nice girls from below us came to tell us and we told her what happened so she rushed to tell the "SLUMLORD" to cut the water. Thank GOD "SLUMLORD" Josephine Lazzarini Battiala was here because she normally lives in her house in Rocky Point, Ny 11778 not exactly sure where because she only provides us with her P.O. Box address. Now she does make her Grand Appearance when the rent is due! Her sixty (60) year old son "Nico" who still lives with Mommy drives her down from Rocky Point and acts as her Handyman but can't read a measuring tape?? Anyway, prior to this waterfall, several months ago he came to reseal the bottom of the tub and repair the vanity that is water rotted. Well Nico, being the well educated Handyman that ALL "SLUMLORD's" keep around used "PAT" which is used to seal little areas around doors and basically DRY areas because it is water soluable and just flakes away when water is introduced to it. Great Job Nico!!!!! HMMMMMMM........ I wonder why he didn't take my advice and buy water proof silicone sealant that is actually made for sealing such areas? That's right it cost about $5.00 (five dollars) more and he wasn't sure how to use a caulk gun. Now that is one hell of a Handyman! I know your asking why I didn't just fix the problem myself, right? Well, that did cross my mind but I figured since I am paying $1500.00 per month plus all utilities including gas in which I believe is used to heat the boiler because I nor my roomate do any cooking on our Gas stove that does NOT have a vent we still get a gas bill.
          The whole incident was beyond hillarous even though very dangerous. Not only it blow the HOT water handle off 10 minutes before the inspector arrived, it also heated up the old silicone that they claimed was on their brand new bathroom and two (2) tiles fell down exposing the OUTTER WALL. That's right, the daughter who continues to swear the bathroom is new and becomes even newer with every swig from her Liqour Bottle so by noon it was installed while I was sleeping lastnight.(LOL)  Anyway, the fallen tiles exposed that behind our NEW bathroom shower tiles was NO Gypsum board, moisture resistant board, nevermind any type of Membrane that is required by Code on the shower all and floor which there is not. Actually, there is NOTHING  behind the tiles except the OUTTER WALL without even a fiber of insulation. After I explained that if they attempted to do the Plumbing themselves like her son Nico did placing a Coolwhip bowl under my leaking bathroom sink and his Professional "PAT" tub sealing job I would call the Department of Buildings where my "SLUMLORD", Josephine Lazzarini Battiala is well known. You can view her Report Card or YOUR Buildings Report Card by going to the New York City Department of Buildings.

          I thank my Lucky Stars for having enough sense to buy my Digital Camera that allowed me to take pictures of the Exposed wall after the tile fell as well as the hole in the floor without any subfloor or membrane. I also got pictures of all the mold in the bathroom on the cieling, the peeling paint all throughout our apartment that more than likely has lead and even ASBESTOS from the age of the building which was built in 1911. They did install new windows, the two (2) pane vapor sealed thst is intended to keep the heat in and the cold out and vice versa in the warmer months only about three (3) of our New Windows are cracked and become FOGGED UP because the VAPOR GAS SEAL was BROKEN which the pictures show perfectly.The bathroom doors actually opens inward and if someone is on the toilet the door cannot be opened in a emergency which I also photographed and is ILLEGAL! Actually the center of the toilet is supposed to be fifteen (15") from the entrance wall assuming the door opened outward as ordered by code as well as being the same distance from the vanity or sink, OURS IS ABOUT a FOOT (12"). I Swear if somebody actually set out to make an ILLEGAL DWELLING they couldn't have done a better job! I give this year's SLUMLORD of The Year Award to Ms. Josephine Lazzarini Battiala! (Clap)

          She has found a Remedy to all these ILLEGAL CONDITIONS....... She told my roomate she wants us out by the end of the month! When YOU COMPLAIN THEY EVICT! Well.... I can't wait for our day in court! I thought maybe Nico was just dropped on his head when young but now I can see it is just proof that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. (LOL)

            DO NOT BE A VICTIM! DO YOUR HOMEWORK, CALL 311, Go to the Department of Building's website which I linked above. Have Questions about Code Violations? Post them and I will do my Best to answer them and cite the Law to help support your case.

            If YOU need any QUALIFIED HANDYMAN WORK done contact us by emailing us @ contactus@nychandymanandfurnitureassembly.com or visit our website @ http://www.nychandymanandfurnitureassembly.com/.

Keep Reading and Posting and We Will Keep You Up to Date On Our Fight For Justice!

Christopher Purnell

DON'T PAY TO LIVE IN AN ILLEGAL APARTMENT!!!!!

Hello Everyone!

I am Christopher Purnell, once owner of EZ Assembly & Interior Innovations,LLC and now a Very Proud owner of my new company New York City Handyman & Furniture Assembly,LLC. Besides assembling flat pack furniture or commonly called RTA ( Ready To Assemble), doing all types of Handyman work I actually LOVE to design, create, and install kitchens. However, over my 15 years working in the construction field I have never run into the SLUMLORDS that I have since working in nyc and renting several apartments myself from the Bowery, SOHO, Ozone Park and now Astoria, Queens. I moved into an apartment on 44th street in Astoria just as I was beginning this new company and getting over a severe injury and didn't follow my own advice and was ignorant to some NYC and NY state building and living codes that didn't apply to my business.

However, today I can quote the NYC and state codes like a Preacher quoting scriptures on Sunday morning because I am paying $1500.00 plus some utilities for nothing short of a Hell Hole. I sat all weekend thinking about the people who live here in our city and don't know they are victims and/or have not the slightest idea where to turn for help and that is why I decided to share part of my story and what YOUR Rights are as a tenant and where to turn for help.

As I stated I live in Astoria, in a 3 story 10 unit building that was illegally converted. How do I know that? First I went to the NYC DBA website and typed in my address and to my amazement the owner had more complaints and fines than Carter had Liver Pills. Go to this site and just check your address out and see what's behind door #3. My building was built in 1911 which we mostly all know was built out of concrete,brick, and chicken wire with a plaster over the wire to form the walls. Well, after freezing for months which I will get to I began my in depth inspection of the apartment. First giveaway was the outdoor glass pane swinging doors between my bedroom and my roommates bedroom. Then I began to look at the walls and noticed the original trim on my one wall was about 2" lower on my other wall so I knocked on it and it was hollow! They sheet rocked the bedroom to make it smaller but forgot to insulate it maybe that's why our apartment has went as low as 49 degrees! That's when I began to call 311 as my roommate started his very terrible ordeal with phenomena which he is still fighting. After they called the landlord who is about 90 years old in her nightgown and her son who still lives with Mommy they made an unexpected trip from where they live in Rocky Point to collect their rent and figured they would blast the heat because an inspector is coming and I believe her intentions where to make us look like liars, but Granny doesn't know they and YOU have the right to see the last two (2) years utility bills so it will be funny when they see since october the bill was nothing but after all my calls it shot up for a few days. The inspector didn't show to date so being a paralegal as well I gave her an envelope which she assumed was our rent check. NO WAY!!!!!! I wrote down all the code violations I found and explained that her rent was in a bank account and once an INDEPENDENT Inspection was preformed by the NYC Housing and Preservation Department's findings I would pay her or we would proceed to court. Now in a building this old I have peeling paint in every rooms ceiling which is without a doubt loaded with LEAD and/or ASBESTOS, most rooms still have the two prong receptacles instead of the three prong GFIC outlets to ground the wiring. Except there is no receptacle in our bathroom.(TOTALLY ILLEGAL) along with only one two prong outlet in the kitchen with no exhaust fan in the bathroom nor a hood over our gas stove.(TOTALLY ILLEGAL) They did at sometime, probably when they were allowed to accept HUD tenants they installed new windows with two panes on each frame to keep the cold out and heat in and vice versa in the summer only these are cracked or somewhere leaking because they are all fogged up telling me the vapor seal that keeps the cold out is broken. (DUH!!!!) I almost forgot one more ILLEGAL thing amongst a plethora of others I won't bore you with, our bathroom door swings inward and if someone is using the commode it can't be opened because the toilet is only about 1" from the toilet when opened which is (TOTALLY ILLEGAL)

If it is BELOW 55 Degrees outside between the hours of 6 A.M. and 10 P.M. your apartment must be at least 68 DEGREES and between 10 P.M. and 6 A.M. if it is below 40 DEGREES outside your apartment must be at least 55 DEGREES from OCTOBER 1st to MAY 31st!!! And if your landlord keeps it at the minimum at night they are a SLUMLORD because in my opinion a house should remain about 72 DEGREES 24/7. YOU MUST HAVE HOT WATER EVERY SINGLE MINUTE OF EVERY SINGLE DAY OR IT IS.................I_L_L_E_G_A_L!!!! I forgot we don't even have enough hot water to shower it lasts about 2 minutes!!!

I really wanted to write about kitchens today and stay on focus with my new company but I felt I needed to vent and hopefully educate some people who are living in Igloos as well as me and my sick roommate. DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL 311 they will make a report and go to the NYC DEPT OF BUILDINGS to check up on your SLUMLORD! Another GRRRRRRRRRReat site to look at is the NEW YORK Tenant's' RIGHTS which is from the Attorney General but there is also a book by a Mary something that is great, even better than the one from the atty General and can be found on Google Books but the only catch is you can't copy anything because she is selling the book so get a pen and pad ready. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO WITHOLD RENT UNTIL YOUR ISSUES ARE TOTALLY RESOLVED!!!!

New York Tenants' Rights

NYC Handyman & White Glove Professional Furniture Assembly Gone Worldwide!!!!

I can say that all my years in this business and construction remodeling whether with EZ Assembly or PDQ (Pretty Damn Quick) Assembly and interior Innovations I have done some research and found 36% of all our business was from Clients that are new to the country whether for work or school. Once arrived most of them already have a lioving arrangement already set-up, but they walk into a totally empty apartment. That's why we are announcing a new service where we can either send them a layout of their dwelling or even detailed pictured to help them decide on what furniture fits best. Our team of Interior Experts will help with the design while taking measurements to be certain their choice will fit. We have experts who can paint, install light fixtures, and whatever needs to be done from picking up their order to purchasing their groceries and cosmetics. We will work with them every single step of the way so they arrive in their Home not an emoty space.

Christopher Purnell
www.nychandymanandfurnitureassembly.com

NYC HANDYMAN & PROFESSIONAL FURNITURE ASSEMBLY

WOW!!!!!! Business has been on fire thanks to our loyal prior clients who were happy to hear to we were back in business I suggest everyone look @ this site www.nychandymanandfurnitureassembly.com and at least enter the contest to win the Grand Prize!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eric Davis

How to repair IKEA furniture stripped wood screw holes Read more: How to repair IKEA furniture stripped wood screw holes

Ikea makes some great furniture with wood parts, but sometimes the wood screw hole strips out. Here's how to fix the problem and you can easily do it yourself! This example will be for a wooden top Ikea desk.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• toothpicks
• wood glue
• screwdriver

Get what you need for every
project at HomeDepot.com

1. 1

   Remove the screws from the wooden top. Place the top upside down on the floor. Don't lose the screws because they are hard to find at the hardware store! Place the top somewhere where it can sit overnight undisturbed.

2. 2

   Take the first stripped screw hole and inset a toothpick. Push it in as far as it will go and then break it off flush with the top of the hole.
   Now fill the hole with wood glue.

3. 3

   Take a screw for the top and run it into the hole. If it's tight you are done. Remove the screw and let the glue dry overnight. If the screw is still loose add another toothpick. Repeat until the screw goes in really tight! Now...do the rest of them. Put the top back on the next day.

christopher purnell
www.nychandymanandfurnitureassembly.com