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Commission finds landlord complied with prior door-repair order; tenant says hinge keeps breaking
Summary
After testimony and photos from a tenant and an inspection report, the Middletown Fair Rent Commission found the landlord complied with an earlier order to repair the building’s main entry door but left open the tenant’s option to refile complaints if problems recur.
The Middletown Fair Rent Commission voted to find that the landlord complied with a prior order to repair the main entrance door at 1160 South Main, after commissioners inspected the repair and heard competing testimony from a tenant who said the hinge broke again and from management who said the repair had been completed.
At the meeting, Commissioner Calvo (referred to in testimony) reported inspecting the lock and finding it functional; tenant Mr. Marufi (speaker 8) provided photos and said the hinge was broken again and that he believed either the repair was inadequate or the damage was sabotage. Management’s representative and property manager Jennifer Torres (speaker 6) said repairs are performed routinely and that some subsequent damage could occur from vandalism or normal wear.
"The repair was done," a representative for management told the panel; Mr. Marufi replied that the repair was “not adequate” and urged the commission to require a permanent fix. Staff member (speaker 2) recommended closing the old matter as complied with while leaving the door issue open to a new maintenance request or another complaint if the tenant wished to pursue it.
The commission voted to find the earlier order complied with (voice vote with one abstention recorded earlier in a related motion) and instructed staff to close the old complaint file while accepting that the tenant could bring a new complaint if the door again failed. Commissioners urged the tenant to file a maintenance request and said the housing-inspection reports the commission expected from the health department would be circulated to inform any future action.
Why it matters: The decision resolves a standing enforcement item but leaves a path for the tenant to request further review if problems persist. Commissioners noted the practical difficulty of policing subsequent vandalism versus landlord responsibility for durable repairs.
What’s next: Staff will circulate the inspection report from the health department; the tenant may file a maintenance request or a fresh complaint if the door again fails. The Andrews-related matters remain on the commission’s calendar for January and February updates.
Who said what: Tenant Mr. Marufi (speaker 8) said the hinge failed again and asked the commission not to close the matter; staff member (speaker 2) and management representatives said the repair was completed and will be monitored.
