Online Alerts

Former Tenant Sues Owner for $24M Over Unpaid Security Deposit Interest

February 27, 2013    

 

A former tenant of a rent-stabilized apartment on the Upper East Side recently sued his ex-landlord for $24 million over the interest on the security deposit he paid more than 40 years ago. The resident claims that the owner refused to hand over the interest after he moved out of...

Group Forms to Influence Short-Term Rental Regulations

February 27, 2013    

 

A group of four big short-term rental Web sites–Airbnb HomeAway, TripAdvisor, and FlipKey–recently announced that they’re starting the Short Term Rental Advocacy Center. The site will aggregate short-term-rental-friendly regulations from around the country in...

Who’s Responsible for Appliances Left by Former Tenant?

February 27, 2013    

 

Many owners supply tenants with appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, microwave ovens, and garbage disposals. And when these appliances eventually break down, you may need to know whether you’re supposed to repair or replace the broken appliance. Failing to do so, if...

DOB Issues Updates on Post-Hurricane Repairs on Elevators, Boilers, and Fee-Exempt Work

February 27, 2013    

 

The Department of Buildings (DOB) has posted updated the following post-hurricane repair information:

1. Elevator Applications: Post-Hurricane Repairs

All repair or replacement work to elevators damaged by Hurricane Sandy must be filed with the DOB...

FYI: Emergency Access Basics

January 30, 2013    

 

This winter season while your tenants may be out-of-town enjoying warmer climates, you may find yourself needing to gain immediate access to their apartments for emergency repairs. A common dispute between owners and tenants involves the conflict between your right to enter an...

Report Finds Low Rental Property Registration Compliance Rate

January 30, 2013    

 

The city’s system for tracking who owns rental properties—a crucial resource in times of crisis, like Hurricane Sandy—is falling short, says a recent report issued by the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. According to the report, the vast majority of...

Bloomberg Unveils Rent-Stabilized Microapartments

January 30, 2013    

 

For the first time in New York City, a multi-unit building will legally consist entirely of what the city has dubbed "micro units," which are apartments of between 250 and 370 square feet. Construction will begin by the end of the year on the 10-story, 55-microunit...

FEMA Releases New Flood Maps

January 30, 2013    

 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently revised flood maps covering sections of New York City and Westchester. During Hurricane Sandy, raging floodwaters went far beyond the borders of the danger zones drawn on earlier maps. New York’s flood maps hadn’t...

Manhattan Beach Tenants Abandon Court Fight Over Foul Odors

January 10, 2013    

 

Tenants have given up on their Housing Court fight over a foul odor in their Manhattan Beach apartment building caused by Superstorm Sandy. A storm surge in the basement of the rent-stabilized building caused leaks in stored fuel oil. According to the tenants, they couldn’t...

City Council Considers Bill to Reject Quick Fixes by Owners

January 10, 2013    

 

A bill that gets tougher on owners who make cosmetic repairs to buildings but fail to address underlying structural problems was recently considered by the city council. If the bill is approved, the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development would be able to...