Landlord is selling the house (LONG)

[sara1030]

I live in Queens, NY and have been renting the first floor of a two family house for about 4 years. We have been excellent tenants, and have always paid our rent on time. We signed a lease when we first got to the apartment for 1 year. After that year was up, we never signed a lease again and continued living there and paying month by month. Our upstairs neighbors did the same. Our landlord told us about 3 months ago that he was planning on showing the house and we always let him come at anytime to show the house to prospective buyers without a problem.

He told us that he had a buyer and that we would have to vacate by Sept. 1, 2000 (He told us this about a month ago), we have been looking for a place but the market is very dry right now and the rents are extremenly expensive (right now we only pay $1,000 for a 2BR, and rents are going for $1400 and up for 2BR's). We have every intention of leaving by Sept. 1, but my questions, is what if we can't find anything by then? What are our rights as tenants? From what I hear, its pretty much a done deal, and the new owners want to occupy the house by Sept. 1. People tell us that in NY you need to get written notice, and that it could take months to evict tenants. We don't want it to come to this, but we can't just jump at the first thing that comes along if its not right for us, can you please tell us what our rights are?

Thank you.

 

[meee]

Bad news Sara you have no rights....I live in Queens too and the rents have skyrocketed in the past year....ok he does have to give you 30 days in writing... You could use the security for last months rent....OR if you dont get it back you have a LEGAL RIGHT to attend the closing and present the lawyer with a bill for your security deposit,


So if you dont leave by Sept 1st, you could blow the whole deal, and be liable for all the landlords costs of NOT selling the house, AND/OR.... ALL of the damages to the new owner for not vacating on time. Judges will NOT let you stay unless you are disabled or deaf or blind and need more time...that is only fair.

So have a big yard sale to raise cash, take as much sick leave and vacation days off to look for a place have all your w2's and bank statements and a reference letter from your landlord.... ummmm if you try and stay you're really ****ed!

So try sunnyside or woodside on the 7 or R&G line... and you may have to take the first thing you see....

Now you would have a lot of bargaining power if you had a lease, no one could force you out of your apartment untill the lease is over.

OK here's what you do check the Village Voice New York Times newsday everynight at midnight or 7 am for new ads...call and keep redailing 40 or 50 times till you get someon if they say come over.. take a cab, car service, anything dont wait....

We sued our last landlord so we had no refernce letter, we saw this place at 1 am friday night in the NYT ads, called at 7 715 730 then every 2 minutes till we got the LL at 8 45 am, rushed over here, had a nice cha with him and his wife about plants workshop in the basement, all sorts of things, looked at it and had a signed lease at 10 30 AM on a SATURDAY.........he didnt realize he put the ad in for 2 days!

so it can be done.

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by sara1030:
I live in Queens, NY and have been renting the first floor of a two family house for about 4 years. We have been excellent tenants, and have always paid our rent on time. We signed a lease when we first got to the apartment for 1 year. After that year was up, we never signed a lease again and continued living there and paying month by month. Our upstairs neighbors did the same. Our landlord told us about 3 months ago that he was planning on showing the house and we always let him come at anytime to show the house to prospective buyers without a problem.

He told us that he had a buyer and that we would have to vacate by Sept. 1, 2000 (He told us this about a month ago), we have been looking for a place but the market is very dry right now and the rents are extremenly expensive (right now we only pay $1,000 for a 2BR, and rents are going for $1400 and up for 2BR's). We have every intention of leaving by Sept. 1, but my questions, is what if we can't find anything by then? What are our rights as tenants? From what I hear, its pretty much a done deal, and the new owners want to occupy the house by Sept. 1. People tell us that in NY you need to get written notice, and that it could take months to evict tenants. We don't want it to come to this, but we can't just jump at the first thing that comes along if its not right for us, can you please tell us what our rights are?

Thank you.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>