When you rent a property in New York, knowing your rights as a tenant is essential. One aspect of tenant rights is understanding your landlord's responsibilities. The best way to know if your landlord is fulfilling these responsibilities is to understand what they...
Landlord/Tenant Law
What is normal wear and tear in a rental setting?
Normal wear and tear in a rental unit refers to reasonable, everyday use leading to the gradual deterioration of the space. This happens without any negligence, carelessness or abuse coming from the tenant. This is the type of minor everyday damage that should be...
Who is responsible for costs related to bed bugs?
The issue of bed bugs in rental properties is a contentious one, often leading to disputes about who should bear the responsibility for costs associated with their eradication. This issue has legal and ethical dimensions, and it varies by jurisdiction and the terms of...
2 ways landlords can avoid disputes with tenants altogether
If you’re a landlord, you know that maintaining a harmonious relationship with your tenants is crucial to the success of your rental property business. Disputes with tenants can be costly and time-consuming, not to mention damaging to your reputation. Below are four...
3 times landlords may need to accommodate someone’s animal
Tenants in New York and elsewhere adore animals of all shapes and sizes, while landlords often view them with skepticism or hostility. Individual people may benefit from the companionship of animals and the structure that they can provide for daily life, but the...
My tenant has been incarcerated. What do I do?
Owning a rental property comes with its share of upsides and downsides, and most are centered around people. One of the downsides to being a landlord is that you are never in full control of what your tenant does on a day-to-day basis. No landlord foresees their...
How long do you have to sue for breach of lease agreement?
When you sign a lease agreement, you hope both parties will live up to their end of the bargain through the lease period. Landlord-tenant disputes are not uncommon, however. And when these disputes amount to a breach of the lease agreement, you may pursue the liable...
Can a tenant have their partner move in?
As a landlord, you have rented out an apartment to someone whom you believed was a single individual. They lived there on their own for months. But now things are changing, and they want to have their partner move in. They’re not married, but they are a couple in a...
What should you include in a 14-day notice to pay rent?
Evicting a tenant can be complicated. In addition to being protected by New York State rent laws, the courts have sole jurisdiction in the final decision. However, with a valid reason, including not paying rent, a landlord may have grounds to evict a tenant. But you...
Do cameras take rental property security a step too far?
When you rent a place to live, you want to feel safe. At the same time, you also want to feel free to go about your life without others seeing everything that you do. Thus, if a landlord puts up cameras, you might question if they are justified and if they’re even...