Landlord Question and Answer Forum

We have a tenant who for two years now refuses to sign lease. Also tenant using illegal drugs in room/ Last year tenant owned money of old lease, the judge told us we had to give him a lease even though he owed money, for the past year and half we have been trying to get the tenant to sign lease which he wrote on the lease he will not sign it. He's arogent and causes problems with other tenants, we want him out. what can we do.This is In New York City

Technically he is a squatter, though squatters still have rights, for better or worse. You'll have to evict him as if he were a tenant, and if he bothers showing up to rent court, explain that he's refused to sign a lease, and that you (hopefully) have evidence of him doing illegal drugs in the apartment. Or, you can just call the cops on him from a payphone and give them a tip on a stash of drugs ;-)

Posted by Ralph F, CA on Thursday, February 26, 2009

I am not sure but I believe New York City has pretty strict rent regulations. Check out the web-site below: http://www.housingnyc.com/html/resources/dhcr/dhcr32.html

Posted by Donna , NC on Monday, March 2, 2009

Hey, I'm not sure what your situation is... But I read an article in a NY paper online maybe 6 months ago (I think the article itself was older). But basically it was detailing how some thrifty folks in NY had found a way to live rent free. The whole catch was that there was a boom in converted warehouses in NYC that were now being rented out as apartments. Due to some loophole in the housing code there the tenants had found a way to sign a lease, then stop paying the rent (if they ever payed at all) and they could not be evicted. Something about the space was still zoned commercial. Being such when it came time to evict for non payment of rent, they had to furnish proof of a lease, which showed residential in a commercial, and they therefor could only legally evict a commercial tenant. In short... they were screwed. IDK if your situation involves a converted space that is now being leased as an apartment, but if so, I hope you went through the proper procedures.

Posted by Chuk P, NC on Tuesday, July 7, 2009

When a tenant refuses to sign the lease, what rights to I have to evict them? As long and they are paying the rent does that mean I'm unable to ask them to leave?

Posted by marquita c, DC on Tuesday, August 4, 2009