Need help ASAP

Leo6
Level 2
New York, NY

Need help ASAP

My Airbnb nightmare has come true and I am in danger of losing my apartment of 20+ years. My landlord planted someone on Airbnb to rent my place and is now trying to evict me. I need legal help ASAP. Can anyone recommend a tenant's lawyer in NYC ? I'm not wealthy but I am wiling to fight for my apartment and can pay a reasonable fee. Please help. Thanks ! 

I would also like to warn hosts about this guy. I suspect it was [personal information removed] so beware. I'll have more info when I speak with a lawyer. 

Leo 

10 Replies 10
Lilian20
Level 10
Argelès-sur-Mer, France

Hello @Leo6  - it looks like you are subletting in the back of your landlord.

If I understand right, it is a nightmare for the owner of the place.

Maria-Lurdes0
Level 10
Union City, NJ

Hi @Leo6 I am sorry to hear that you're having troubles with your landlord.   I'm not sure if hiring a lawyer is worth your time/money.....

 

Unless you own the apartment or have explicit approval from your landlord to sublet, then you are likely in violation of your lease.   I also sublet some apartments, but I have express written authorization from my landlords.  Even with that, at the first sign of trouble, they'd shut me down, and I wouldn't have any recourse.

 

You may have to close up shop and hope that your landlord lets you go if you stop hosting, rather than him evicting you or worse.

 

Good luck to you!

 

 

Wendy-and-Frank0
Level 10
Stonington, CT

Dede0
Level 10
Austin, TX

@Leo6 It sounds like you were in violation of your lease (and that you know that). So, you got caught. Why would ANYONE want to help you legally wriggle out of this?

 

Most AirBnB hosts follow the rules. We register with our municipalities. We comply with our landlord's rules if we don't own outright. We pay our state and local hotel taxes. We file proper federal income taxes.

 

So why do you think we should support the few cheaters who feel above the rules? Seriously, dude? How clueless are you?

Dede0
Level 10
Austin, TX

[Inappropriate content removed]

Cormac0
Level 10
Kraków, Poland

@Leo6

 

Hopefully the I.R.S. haven’t seen your post, but I assume your tax compliant?

 

These landlord, who do they think they are...

 

1. The owners of the property

2.The insurers of the property

3.The "Property Tax" payers of the property

4.The repair and maintenance of the property

 

Tell me Leo, when the property was getting a little shabby (after twenty years) did you redecorate or did you ask your landlord to do it.

 

On a more practical not you could tell you landlord that you will give him 25% rent increase after all this is business and you’ve being making money on his back.

 

 

You could ask Airbnb for legal assitance they have a great legal department.

Leo6
Level 2
New York, NY

Interesting how some with no knowledge of the situatuion are quick to criticze and judge. For those who added something constructive to the conversation, thank you. 

I agree, @Leo6.  My mama taught me that unless I was crowned Pontiff, it was best not to pontificate.  😉

 

Go throw yourself at the mercy of the Landlord and make him an offer he can't refuse.  No horse required!

@Leo6

 

The knowledge of the situation is based on what you told us Leo, if there are extenuating circumstances you should have explained them to us, so we could have moderated are comments accordingly.

 

Here’s my personal experience, I had an apartment rented to a guy when his lease was coming to end, I request a modest 3% rent increase on renewal of the lease which he said was not warranted, So I said I was not renewing his lease, then he said he would pay the increase, but at that stage I had made my mind up, he needed to go.

 

Then thought third parties I discover he was exclusively renting the apartment to third parties and was never actually living there, he was swanning around living the high life, while I was paying the mortgage and all the other expenses required in owning an apartment.

 

So I’m pissed off with these proxy landlord, surely Leo after twenty years renting you should be in a position to buy your own apartment and come over to the dark side.

To the guy in Poland. In NYC most 400-500sqft homes in NYC proper go for about $600k or more, so in this city many people go an entire lifetime never owning here. Also in this city you have to get creative to make ends meet. If Leo had been in the same apt for 20 years I'm guessing it was a bit shabby, but well priced and the landlord was just waiting for rent stabilized people to die off or evict. At the end of the day it's always about money. Leo your landlord or management co just wanted more money. If you could prove you never actually left the apartment you would be within the realm of the law. With building cameras this may be easy to prove or difficult. Or just pay up. Any way you look at it they just want a piece of the action.