City Rooms Inc / Room Rental Agency

60 W 22nd St # 4

New York, NY

(212) 243-3234

In November of 2005, I went to a room rental agency by the name of City Rooms Inc. to seek a place to live in New York City.

One of the places that City rooms referred me to was a place at 354 West 110 St. Apt 5C New York, NY 10025 where I met Michael J. Ricco who had claimed to be renting the apartment. On November 11, 2005 I moved in paying Mr. Ricco $320.00 and agreement of first weeks rent of $160.00 an amount per week that included utilities and $160.00 as a security deposit. In the weeks that I was living with Mr. Ricco from November to January 18th 2006 I was harassed over little things such as watching TV or forgetting a notebook in the living room to having my food stolen and my privacy invaded.

When I confronted Michael J. Ricco on January 15th 2006 about my food missing he started to scream at me to move out by the end of the week, after having already paying him $160.00 for that week. Explaining that I wanted my $160.00 for my security deposit back he screamed some more saying that he was going to keep it for the heating bill claiming that It was my fault the heating bill was high. Later that night I started to clean up my room, when I moved a chair out of my room into the living room Mr. Ricco banged on my door demanding me to open it up, when I opened the door he threatened to throw me out on the street that night because I did not put the chair up against the wall.

On January 18, 2006 I moved out fearing for my safety. Up until the very day I moved out I was harassed by Mr. Ricco including being chased down five flights of stairs and because of this I had to take Mr. Ricco to small claims court.

I had paid City Rooms $125 to find me a place to live, this was one of the horrible places they recommended as part of their services. It wasn't until a month after I had lived there that I found out that the place I was staying at was leased to Pathways to Housing (housing for the mentally ill). For Mr. Ricco to rent out that room was illegal. This is something City Rooms should of been aware of before providing me with such a lead.

I would advise anyone looking for a place in New York City to stay away from Room Rental Agencies because most want their fees first before you even see anything, and most of the people renting out rooms through these agencies are low life's like the person mentioned in this letter.

=