1 800-518-0890REACHING A DECISION
There are several possible decisions a judge may reach in a
tenant-landlord dispute, depending on the merits of your case.
You may be permitted to continue to withhold rent until the
violations are corrected, or the judge may order that you deposit
the rent money in an account maintained by the court. If the
dispute concerns unresolved repairs, the judge may set a date by
which the repairs must be completed.
In some instances, the judge may permit you to keep some or all
of the withheld rent (called a "rent abatement") in order to
compensate you for any inconvenience or hardship caused by the
problem in your apartment.
If the judge feels there is no merit to your case, you may be
directed to pay all of the withheld rent to your landlord. In
this case, you will have a maximum of five days in which to make
the payment. If you miss this deadline, you will be in default
and may be evicted.
Whoever loses the case, may also be directed to pay the court
costs of the winner.
Do not leave the court room until you are absolutely sure you
understand the judge's decision. Don't hesitate to ask for
further information or a clarification.
It is also important to remember that, although Housing Court is
more informal than most, it is still a court of law. Judges are
entrusted to arrive at solutions that assure that apartments are
kept in good condition, that the rights and obligations of
tenants and landlords are preserved, and that repairs are made
quickly.