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Public Advocate Watchlist Of New York City's Worst Landlords Now Accessible Via Craigslist

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Apartment seekers have a new tool to help them avoid making an expensive mistake.

WCBS 880's Marla Diamond: A New Tool For The Public

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The public advocate's office online "2.0" list of NYC's Worst Landlords is now easily accessible to people seeking an apartment on Craigslist.

Craigslist has posted a link to the list at the top of their apartment listings.

The list names each landlord and lists their total number of housing code violations. Violations vary severity, and include classes A-C and I. Class A violations are minor and include things like small leaks or lack of proper signage. Class B are moderate violations, including insufficient lighting in public areas or removal of vermin. Class C are considered immediately hazardous, like the presence of lead-based paint, lack of heat and hot water and so on. Class I violations are ones in which a judge has already ordered a correction.

By clicking on the name of a landlord on the list, you can see via a Google map where that landlord's building is located. The list also includes the total number of violations.

Lisa Dreshaj currently tops the lists, with 2047 total infractions, including 656 class c violations.

The list is also sortable by borough.

Is this list a good idea? Useful? Do landlords face an impossible job in New York? Do tenants always get a raw deal? Sound off in our comments section.

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