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Questions Answered by Steven Warren Smollens
2 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law for New York on
Q: Can a lawyer with a broker license represent a buyer purchasing a home and also do the real estate closing?

I am purchasing a home and would like my father to be my buyer’s broker and real estate attorney for the closing. Can he be both in Suffolk County, N.Y?

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Jun 23, 2024

You should ask your father. Why would you need a broker if you already settled on the property. You need a lawyer to be certain that the seller complies fully with the new Real Property Disclosure statute especially with the new mandatory flood disclosure.

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1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for New York on
Q: How to lookup property owner information by name/social in Puerto Rico free- Inherited a house but can’t find deed

The address was not included in the will

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Jun 20, 2024

You are not going to like this but there is no simple free service to do so. https://protitleusa.com/PuertoRico#:~:text=In%20PR%2C%20only%20a%20notary,anywhere%20from%20%2425.00%20to%20%2450.00.

The address should be on property tax invoices, utility accounts, drivers license and so on.

2 Answers | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: One of the roomate have not pay the rent . Landloard took us to the court

I entered into a lease agreement with two other roommates for a term of one year until March 1. Unfortunately, one of them has been refusing to pay rent for some time. As a result, the landlord has taken all of us to court since all our names are on the lease. The roommate who consistently paid... View More

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on May 20, 2024

Dear Manhattan Tenant:

A lawyer's initial inquiry concerns the reasons you had to Answer the Petition and secure a trial date (https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/RPA/732). Generally, if the petition is not served upon the tenant by personal delivery directly upon the tenant, the...
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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: How can I stop relocation charges from HPD when I fixed my violations? I am being charged for tenants living at shelter.

Hello, I need some assistants as landlord who have been facing relocation charges from HPD for almost about a year now. I need help as a way out of this. HPD has been uncooperative and unwilling to help. I got a violation last year in February from DOB, a vacate order. Which has been fixed and... View More

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on May 19, 2024

Dear Brooklyn Property Owner:

Several possible city departments are entitled to demand payment of expenses and fines when an agency issues a vacate order and a tenant is displaced from an illegal dwelling.

See for example:...
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2 Answers | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: In NYS do veterans with kids have certain protections from evictions. Specifically when said owner wants to move back in

It's a very messy case or will be. The owner has been in and out of jail and rehab. There were lead paint issues he didn't disclose I had to remedy. There have many other things I had to fix or repair to make it livable. Owner's parents are stating they are said owners p.o.a.. The... View More

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on May 19, 2024

A 14-day notice is a rent demand [the predicate notice required to sue for an eviction based on not paying rent], and a 60-day notice provides the mandated advance written notification of the end of a tenancy when the tenancy is less than two years in total duration but more than one year.... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Civil Litigation and Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: My Apartment is refusing to sign my lease or accept rent. Now they are suing me in civil court for all the fees and rent

How do I force them to renew my lease? How do I get out of paying them anything or at least anything until they renew my lease? The apartment and building have had terrible conditions including no gas for months unreliable heat and hot water, dangerous elevator constantly out of service, in... View More

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on May 11, 2024

Dear Manhattan Tenant:

I do not know what you mean by treating it as a Civil case, not a landlord and tenant case. If the lawsuit seeks eviction because the lease expired and the landlord provided written notification as required by NYS Real Property Law Section 226-C, that is still a...
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2 Answers | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: Can I accept the payout from my landlord without going to court or notifying HPd

And if yes how much payment should I take from him

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on May 6, 2024

Dear Brooklyn Tenant:

New York City Local Law mandates reporting all tenant buy-out agreements to HPD. A tenant without a lawyer will not likely make the best possible deal. You did not provide any information for an enhanced buyout settlement.

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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: Can a landlord evict a tenant without a judge overseeing it Does a stipulation of settlement have to be signed by a jud

I was served by a process server eviction papers. When we went to court the 2 atty's agreed to wait because they were supposed to turn in a ledger to ERAP. They never did. Instead I was told to sign a stipulation of settlement. I was told I would be thrown out earlier if I don't.... View More

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on May 6, 2024

Dear Amenia Tenant:

You may need to hire a new lawyer. Appearing before the judge to review a written stipulation of settlement is often not required when both tenant and landlord have attorneys. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/RPA/746

You made a deal to move out in...
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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: In NY is a tenant only legally required to keep a minimum amount in renters insurance?

Tenant is a senior citizen. Old lease did not require renters insurance

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on May 6, 2024

Dear Huntington Station Tenant:

New York State law does not set a minimum amount of renter's insurance or mandate that tenants do so. However, the tenant lease may require a tenant to carry a renter's insurance policy....
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1 Answer | Asked in Civil Litigation and Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: Will my roommate (leaseholder) get arrested if she puts my things in storage and change the locks? I’m not on lease

My roommate is the leaseholder, I’m not on lease, we had a falling out and I’m trying to leave as soon as I can but I’m delayed, she has given me 6mo already hasn’t asked for rent and I appreciate that, but she’s fed up now and said she’s going to put my stuff in storage and change the... View More

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Apr 29, 2024

Dear Brooklyn Roommate

What more of a deterrent do you want on top of an arrest? A letter from your lawyer to suggest that there is a risk of a civil lawsuit for unlawful eviction?

Of course you don't have to move even if you are not paying rent. Your lawyer could convince...
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2 Answers | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: Hello my name is Shariff I moved into my apartment December 21st of 2023 I found out I had a gas leak April 18th

Me my wife and 1 year old daughter have been inhaling gas fumes for over 4 months and we want to know is my landlord is that fault?

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on May 11, 2024

Shariff. When did you first smell gas? Because there is no method to detect a gas leak without smell otherwise. If you first smelled gas on April 18th, you had to leave the apartment and call 911. https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-03185#

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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: Do I need my roommates approval for a new roommate if I've already received confirmation from the landlord it's okay?

I will be breaking my lease and am responsible for finding the new tenant.

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Apr 13, 2024

Dear Brooklyn Tenant:

Why are you responsible for a replacement when State Law leaves replacing a departed tenant with the remaining co-tenants?

All you would need is a written agreement with the landlord and your co-tenants to remove you from the lease agreement and allow the...
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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: Would people who were invited by the owner to live on a property, but don't pay rent or have a lease be squatters?

So the house that the "tenants" in, is on the same property/lot as the property owners house.

The "tenants" were invited to live there, by the owner in exchange for a service.

The terms of the service were a verbal agreement by both parties.

The... View More

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Apr 6, 2024

Dear Batavia Home Owner:

You brought them in, so they had permission. A tenancy cannot diminish into a squatter. If they have been there for more than one year and you claim you rented to them, the preliminary written notice to your tenants is the notification required by New York Real...
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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: Can a landlord install a video only camera inside a boiler room if the boiler room is inside the tenant’s apartment ?

Tenant has access to the boiler room. The lease states no items whatsoever inside boiler room . There is signage in the boiler room stating the same . I have a hi end machine inside the boiler room that I would like to monitor via camera only ( no voice )

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Apr 3, 2024

Dear Manhattan Landlord

How is this possible? No tenant is allowed to inhabit a boiler room and no habitable dwelling may surround a boiler room. Before you add a video camera into this likely illegal housing situation contact an architect who may determine the legality of the apartment....
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2 Answers | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: I’m a landlord renting a single freestanding home in a New York State, not city. Tenant offering to pay rent in advance.

The individual interested in renting the property operates a trucking and transportation business. They’re suggesting paying three months’ rent upfront because their industry experiences significant fluctuations in earnings throughout the year. I’m curious about the legality of agreeing to... View More

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Mar 31, 2024

Dear Newburgh Property Owner:

You would need your own attorney to approve the acceptance of three months' rent paid in advance. New York State law says that you cannot do so even if you are not the party to bring up the idea.

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2 Answers | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: I moved out of a Manhattan apartment 7 months ago and I’m still trying to get my security deposit back

Landlord agrees I’m owed full deposit. I requested a wire transfer since I left USA (can’t physically cash check here, amount too large for online deposit). Landlord’s staff sometimes say their account won’t allow wire transfers, obv false since other times they say they can wire but it... View More

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Mar 22, 2024

Dear Manhattan Tenant

The controlling statute does not provide any guidance on the allowance of a deduction of the expenses incurred by delivering the security deposit by international wire transfers and not by check within 14 days. It surely would have been a better solution to have a...
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2 Answers | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: Ending a month to month lease in Brooklyn NY with an argumentative landlord, just trying to figure out my rights, if any

Hello, I am in a month to month lease with my landlord. I am moving out on the 18th of the month, and have given a month's notice. Upon moving in, the landlord offered prorated rent, but when I brought this up to see if that would be an option for moving out they said no. They do not want to... View More

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Mar 22, 2024

Dear Brooklyn Tenant

New York State housing law has not built in to unwritten month to month leases the implied covenant of rent proration. This means that without a written agreement to prorated rent that there is no entitlement to do so.

Your last month rent is due on the 1st day...
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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: my landlord is avoiding my notice, can I withhold rent next month for not having a smoke detector?

I sent a notice saying please reply when the installation can be made but he hasn’t even seen it yet. Do I have to wait until he sees it or can I start withholding rent or take other action so he doesn’t keep ignoring me? He has been avoiding me for almost a month now.

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Mar 9, 2024

Ordinarily a dwelling is required to be set up in New York State with operating smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Withholding rent without your own attorney advice is a risky strategy. But calling local code enforcement and arranging for an inspection should provide the notice of housing code... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: Can the primary tenant in a roommate holdover case can adjourn case due to lack of legal representation?

On Primary Tenant behalf ???

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Mar 5, 2024

Dear Manhattan Tenant

While the statute only deals with the tenant right to a 'free' adjournment to secure counsel as a Petitioner you will require the consent of the Roommate and the Roommate's attorney and the Judge as well.

Beware if you securean adjournment this...
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1 Answer | Asked in Landlord - Tenant for New York on
Q: What to do when landlord has refused to respond to a tenant and do no repairs,yet sends a quit amounts of rent not owed

I live in a home that is supposedly 2 apartments,my son lives on the otherside of me,the landlord has decided to send him and i notices to quit,each for$ 23.000

That would equal 46000 all together, now hes served court papers to evict my son,and not me,yet jes never talked to me or made any... View More

Steven Warren Smollens
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Mar 4, 2024

Dear Elmira Tenant:

Rent is a debt to pay to a landlord only when a rental agreement exists. A rental agreement may run month to month. Still, no landlord will find a judge ready to believe that both tenants in the two-family house simultaneously continued to live in the building without...
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