Many people who reside in New York actually rent a property rather than own it outright. Some reports estimate that as much as 69 percent of people who live in New York City alone rent instead of own.
Where there are renters, there are landlords. In dealing with tenants, landlords typically save eviction as a last resort, but no matter how rude a tenant may be, there are certain qualifications he or she needs to meet to face eviction. Landlords should be aware of tenant protections so that they do not accidentally stumble into a lawsuit.
Discrimination
Landlords cannot discriminate against potential or current tenants based on race, age, gender, religion, political affiliation or a number of other protected factors. Things can come up during a tenant’s stay that may change the initial agreement, but landlords cannot evict in these circumstances. For example, if a landlord rents a property out to a couple and the wife ends up becoming pregnant, then the landlord may not want a baby on the premises whose crying will disrupt the other tenants. It may be an inconvenience, but the landlord cannot evict.
Retaliation
Problems come up around apartment complexes all the time. When a tenant informs a landlord of a problem, the landlord needs to fix it in a timely manner. In the event the landlord fails to address the issue, the tenant may take matters into his own hands and contact a professional to do it. If mold develops on a property, then the tenant may contact the local health department to get rid of it. All of this can have a negative impact on the landlord in the form of a fine, but the landlord cannot take it out on the tenant. Society holds landlords to certain standards, and they need to maintain the properties they own in a manner that is fit for human habitation.
