Articles
The New York Times asked Real Estate Attorney David A. Kaminsky, Esq. a legal question concerning a New York City co-op resident whose neighbor has a hoarding issue.
Q: A shareholder in our small, self-managed co-op is in his 80s and has dementia….
Can My Landlord Put Locks in My Apartment That I Can’t Open?
Q: I am renting a condo in a large Manhattan building. The bedrooms and one…
The Kids Upstairs Have Cabin Fever. Is There Any Way to Stop the Noise?
Q: I live in a rental building in Harlem and have always worked from home. Since…
The Seller Reneged. What to do?
Q. My fiance and I were set to close on a one-bedroom co-op in Jackson…
Lead Paint and Babies
Q. My husband and I have lived in a rent-stabilized apartment for six years. Every…
Dealing with a Menacing Landlord
Q. For 12 years, I’ve lived in the same apartment in a brownstone. In the…
Charges for a Fixer-Upper
Q. My husband and I bought a single room occupancy building with plans to convert…
Crack in the Floor
Q. My husband and I have a month-to-month market-rate lease for an apartment on the second…
The Rights of Pet Owners to Keep Pets in Their Apartment
If you live in NYC you may have noticed the dog walkers on the Upper…
Forced to Crank Up the Heat
Q. I am a market-rate tenant living in a converted office building. Instead of a central…
Boundary Disputes and When to Hire a Lawyer
Tell us a little about your firm and the areas of law you practice. David…
Lost Lease
Q. My family has been living in a rent controlled apartment since around 1968. My…
How to Break Your Lease and Get Your Security Deposit Back: A NYC Tenant's Guide Rights
A lease is a binding contract. If either party of a lease violates the lease,…
So Your Landlord's Selling Your Apartment? A Guide to NYC Tenants' Rights
Landlord-tenant laws in New York City are complicated. If your landlord is selling your property…
When a Roommate Fails to Pay His Share
Q. At some point my roommate, who is on our apartment lease, intends to move out….
Defining the 'Super'
Q. Is a property owner required to hire a superintendent for a New York City residential…
A Guide to NYC Tenants' Rights Post Hurricane Sandy
As a result of Hurricane Sandy, many apartment buildings in New York City are now…
Residential Lease Primer
After 28 years of experience as a real estate attorney I have seen all shapes…
What You Need to Know when Renting from a Single Unit Owner
The housing market in New York City is forever evolving. The traditional rental market is…
Helping a Relative Rent an Apartment
Q. A member of my family is trying to rent an apartment, but nobody will rent…
Stove Replaced by a Cheaper Model
Q. I rented a nonstabilized apartment in a condominium in Brooklyn. One of the selling points…
Subletting A Regulated Unit
Q. Can a person renting in a rent-regulated apartment in Brooklyn sublet the apartment or otherwise…
A Regulated Tenant Wants A Roomate
Q. I am a 70-year-old rent controlled tenant in a co-op building where I have lived…
Calculating a Stabilized Rent
Q. I rent a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan. The building used to be all rent-stabilized, but…
Succession Rights For Family Members
Q. Does the son of rent-stabilized tenants have the right to continue to live in the…
Take Other Things, but Leave the Fridge
Q. I recently moved out of an apartment I had lived in for over 20 years….
When Church Becomes A Landlord
Q. My rent-stabilized building was bought by a church. Do stabilization laws still apply? A. …
The Sponsor’s Voice Is Heard the Loudest
Q. My 75-unit Manhattan co-op recently adopted an amendment to our proprietary lease banning smoking throughout…
Neighbor Sues Over Second Hand Smoke
Woman with sick child says cigarette smoke comes through vents Christie Ewen’s neighbor is a…
When the Landlord Sends Workers
Q. I am a college student in upstate New York, and I am renting a house…
A Seller Understates a Co-op’s Monthly Fees
Q. I recently purchased a co-op apartment. In both the broker’s listing materials and the sale…
From the December 2007 issue of Apartment Law Insider
In the past, tenants who were facing eviction would file for bankruptcy as a last…
Can a Co-op Be Forced to Pay for Exterminator?
Q. The basement of our prewar co-op is undergoing renovation to enlarge the laundry room and…
Sibling Feud Could Stall Huntington Townhouse Deal
Lawsuit by brother of Huntington caterer’s owner lays claim to stake in the establishment, possibly…
Nosy Condo Suit
Subway’s bread may be fresh but it stinks to high heaven, residents of an Upper…
Ah, the Sweet Smell of . . . a $500,000 Lawsuit
A condominium board on the Upper East Side is asking a judge to stop a…
Can a Garage Space Be Rent-Stabilized?
Q. When a tenant living in a rent-stabilized apartment rents a parking space in the building’s…
Let There Be Not So Much Light
Q. My partner and I live on the 12th floor of a condominium on West 57th…
Lease Security Deposit Question
Q. Can we the tenants estimate the interest amounts due us and subtract it from the…