Many in Santa Cruz may belive that the landlord-tenant relationship is as simple as this: The tenant pays the landlord rent, and the landlord allows him or her to live on or use the property. Yet in reality, it us much more complex. A landlord’s obligations go far beyond simply offering a place to live or work; it must also ensure that the conditions are suitable to meet the expectations set forth in a tenant’s lease. A failure to do so coould easily be taken as a breach of contract.
That is the general idea being conveyed by residents of two properties owned by a company recently named as New York City’s worst landlord. Tenants are claiming that the company recently purchased the properties with the intention of forcing them out in order to renovate the units and bring in new residents at a higher rent. They cite examples of repairs and renovations happening quickly in those units that have recently been vacated, while tenants remaining have been left to deal with rodent and insect infestations, structural and water damage, and exposed wiring. Those residents who do request repairs say that the company is delibrately slow in responding to their concerns. They also point to neither buiilding has a superintendent as another sign of neglect, as well as lack of adequate security.
The landlord has responded to these allegations by saying that the buildings were in disrepair when it purchased them. Such may be the answer of many landlords in these situations, yet that does not absolve them of the responsbility of having to resolve such problems quickly. Those who feel as though their landlords are failing to do so may want to contact an attorney to discuss what their options maye be.
Source: Brownstoner “Sunset Park Tenants Speak Out After Landlord Is Ranked Worst in City for 2017” DeJesus, Jaime, Nov. 30, 2017
