If you are facing the prospect of eviction in New York City, you may be confused and nervous about the process. The process of eviction is normally fairly straightforward. There are several opportunities available to assist you from losing your home and to prepare you for the process. Here are five things you should expect during the eviction process:
When you sign a lease for an apartment, it is customary to hand over a security deposit, which theoretically should be returned to you after the lease ends. And yet, many landlords will keep the security deposit, sometimes without giving an explanation as to why. So do you have a right to have your security deposit returned, and if so, what happens when your landlord violates that right?
Landlords attended a virtual hearing before the New York City Rent Guidelines Board on June 13, 2023, to ask for permission to raise rents for their rent stabilized apartments. Their rationale for asking for rent increases was to keep up with rising costs to maintain their apartment buildings, which have increased due to higher property taxes, maintenance costs, and insurance premiums. Tenant advocates want to keep rents from going up, expressing concerns about affordability in the city.
Landlords in New York have issued objections about proposed “good cause” eviction bills that they believe would endanger their ability to make money renting out their properties. These bills, which have been circulating in the New York State Assembly, would significantly restrict landlords’ ability to evict tenants, as well as potentially limit the extent to which landlords could increase rents. Tenant advocates, meanwhile, are pushing for the bills in the face of what they consider to be abusive practices by landlords.
A “constructive eviction” is the legal term used when someone is forced out of their rented property due to conditions on or in the property making the property unlivable or due to the conditions you have to leave your home and live elsewhere. A constructive eviction is illegal, and a tenant might not be held responsible for unpaid rent during a period where they have been constructively evicted if a judge finds that a constructive eviction occurred. Here are five signs of a constructive eviction you should watch out for:
Around 1,500 landlords in New York City have applied for a new “prohibited buildings” list, that would allow them to exclude tenants from participating in short-term rental businesses like Airbnb. Landlords who successfully apply for this list, which became open on March 6, would be able to pass on fines from illegal short-term rentals to the tenants that host them. This is meant to help crack down on the growing trend of tenants renting out their apartments in Airbnbs, which some say has contributed to the issue of a lack of affordable housing.
A surprising number of people who are currently renting an apartment do not know that they have a legal right to safe and comfortable living conditions. When someone is forced out of their apartment due to poor conditions, it is known as a “constructive” eviction. But what does a constructive eviction look like in practical terms, and what should you do if it happens to you?
Rent stabilized apartments are among the most sought after apartments you can find in New York City, but the competition to get them is fierce. This is because they are often the most affordable living spaces in the entire city, with rents significantly lower than other, unregulated apartments. But what does it mean for an apartment to be rent stabilized, and what rights do you have if you are a tenant in a rent stabilized unit?
It is the legal responsibility of every landlord to ensure their rented properties are adequately maintained, so they are safe and habitable. However, not every landlord is diligent about ensuring apartments are well-maintained, leading to the state of their apartments slowly deteriorating. What should you do when your landlord refuses to maintain your apartment? Continue reading “What Should You Do When the Landlord Won’t Maintain Your Apartment?”
“I want to take this time to thank Tanya and Keith for their professionalism and their ability to keep me calm during this process. Tanya was very helpful in explaining the whole guardianship process and my next steps. Despite my numerous emails, I never felt ignored or that they were growing weary of me. Even after being granted guardianship when I had an issue with the bank releasing money Tanya stayed calm and found a way to get what I was entitled to. I hope I never need to do this again but if I do, I will definitely come back to Tanya and her team. Thank you Thank you Thank you. Love from Bermuda.”
-K. Durham. (An attorney in Bermuda transferring a Bermudian guardianship to NY)