verovee's Profile
- Veronica
- 1998
- Brooklyn
- Park Slope
- Rental
- lawyer
- Female
- 34
- http://verovee
Author's Posts
February 9, 2009
Right to Sublet?
Do I have a right to sublet if I am in a non rent stablized/non rent controlled apartment?
Our lease has a no sublet clause, which I thought was void under a real property law that states the landlord only has a right to reasonable refusal upon notice. Does this apply even to small brownstone apartments? We are being pressured to sign our renewal lease 2 mos ahead of its expiration date (which is fine) and because we have been thinking about buying signing up for another year makes us nervous. Landlord is not open to a shorter time frame lease. We probably won't go the sublet route but want to know our options. He also raised our rent, which seems unreasonable in this economy, but not enough that we feel like fighting about that issue.
September 23, 2008
love the apartment, hate the broker
Sunday I managed to get a showing of a condo for sale in clinton hill after chasing down the broker for over a week. I was hoping there would be an open house but if not I was very flexible as to when she could show it. She finally said I could see it at a specific time but would be in a rush so I better be on time. I was on time she was late. I could go on about all the annoying things she said during the very short time we spent there before she rushed us out but I think the worst was when we asked a question and she responded "If you want the answer to that question, you should make an offer". okay, lady. Anyhow, is there any way to pursue an apartment you like when you would rather not someone so awful get a commission on an apartment she is making zero effort to sell? Is there any way to find out who their boss is, as it were, and at least make a complaint? In any case, the seller is being done an injustice. My bf has contacted her via email and phone re: other listings and never heard back on those so it is not just this instance.
August 27, 2008
Don't hate me b/c I want to buy near AY
I have (mostly) decided to buy an apartment that, yes, overlooks the Atlantic Yards site on the Carlton side. I know all the arguments and don't want to wake that monster. I am more hoping that someone has an update on the status of the project since the last round of information that came out around April- the redesign, the problems with funding and the tax issues. Does anyone know anything more current about the status and whether/when the construction is likely starting on the stadium and when/if you think the other buildings are going to be built. Or is it just anyone's guess at this point?
Author's Comments
My aren't you snotty, on the parkway. I've done my research - thus the "i knows" in parenthesis. I was trying to pre-empt comments exactly like yours.
Posted by: verovee at October 1, 2008 5:27 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 147 South Oxford Street, #3C
I went to the open house last weekend. Very cute apartment and I think it is reasonably priced. There is already a dining room "nook" so I don't know about the conversion of the dining room into a bedroom. We actually thought it would work better to open up that bedroom and combine with the dining area to make a bigger bedroom and use that as the master bedroom. AS it is now the master bedroom is teeny. Barely room to move around the bed that is there; no room for a dresser or much of anything else in there besides the bed. Both bedrooms are currently baby sized- would seem roomy enough for a crib, but not roomy enough for adults.
Also I had the same thought about it facing Atlantic Yards. Was assured by the broker (I know, I know) that it was too far down and away from the footprint and therefore the sunlight (which is currently good) wouldn't suffer.
Posted by: verovee at October 1, 2008 2:47 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 147 South Oxford Street, #3C
Newswalk- I think. It is not a done deal. While I hate the idea of people having been displaced for a parking lot, I would prefer that to the gargantuan AY buildings we will face otherwise. (We have various fantasy ideas of what ends up happening with the phase two area.) I know the stadium will be built and probably the buildings around it. I am just wondering how much time before the dust and noise extravaganza reaches down to the opposite end of the "footprint". I have done a lot of internet searching but the last updates were months ago and seemed only to say that the deadlines were pushed back and the residential buildings are maybe slated for 2016 completion but are basically a big question mark. Clearly I have reservations but I like the apartment a lot and -for obvious reasons- the price isn't bad. Was hoping someone out there had recent info. thanks!
Posted by: verovee at August 27, 2008 3:48 PM in response to Don't hate me b/c I want to buy near AY
What's wrong with being near the theater? It's not *that* close that you would get crowds wandering by.
And I don't think many people would pay more than 2800 for this rental. Granted, I actually like sun and high ceilings. But I pay less than that - just under 2700 - for a much larger (but not recently renovated) brownstone floor-through on 8th in the N. Slope, with outdoor space and very near the 2/3 train. I know opinions differ greatly on the matter, but I think our location on a nice leafy street is better than this location. Also, I wandered into the Armory to ask a question and the women there were seriously nasty to me.
Posted by: verovee at August 7, 2008 4:14 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 1405 8th Avenue
I went to see this at their open house this weekend. I too thought it looked great in the pictures. But I didn't like it at all. The kitchen looks better in the pictures, the bedrooms felt very cramped (but we prefer one bigger master bedroom and a smaller bedroom, these felt about the same size), and the entire thing seemed dark. In fact it is the first apartment in a long time that both my boyfriend and I agreed on - we both disliked it.
Posted by: verovee at August 7, 2008 3:06 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 1405 8th Avenue
I believe there is at least one , and maybe two other listings in this same building. I was supposed to go to the open house of a one bedroom here last weekend but couldnt make it and recall that there was also a 2 bedroom in the same building that was slightly out of our price range. (And over a million is most definitely out of my price range). Curious that there would suddenly be three listings at the same time?
Posted by: verovee at July 22, 2008 2:42 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 44 Cheever Place
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
Short answer is no, you are not permitted to sublet the apartment if your lease that you signed says you cannot do so. The risk you run is that if you wanted out of the lease prior to expiration of the term, and the landlord had difficulty finding a tenant, you could be on the hook for the remainder of the lease term, less any rents that landlord ended up getting from a new tenant (once found) for the remainder of the original term. Most landlords are not going to stick you like that, especially if you give them as much advanced notice as possible that you wish to break the lease.
Posted by: 1842 at February 9, 2009 5:37 PM in response to Right to Sublet?
no the landlord is under no obligation to try to rerent or to rerent the apartment. I know its stupid but that is the law in NY....
Posted by: smeyer418 at February 10, 2009 4:16 PM in response to Right to Sublet?
on a related note: my landlord neglected to give me a new lease when mine was up in october. when paying my feb rent, i told him my boyfriend is moving in, and suddenly he is coming up with a new lease, and a $300/month increase on the rent. its less than a month's warning of the price hike, and i'm in a similar position as verovee: looking to buy a place, but acknowledge it'll take a few months to find the right apt and then close, so am worried about signing another one-year lease.
is there anything anywhere about how much notice a landlord must give about a rent increase upon renewal of a lease? its now feb 10, and i don't have a copy of hte new lease in hand-- do i need to pay the increased price for march? i know, i know, this site is about buyers, but maybe owners who rent out apts (my landlord lives in the building) have a notion?
Posted by: ms_boerum at February 10, 2009 4:35 PM in response to Right to Sublet?
Does your landlord dislike your boyfriend? Seriously, I have never heard of a LL balking like that when an SO moves in.
Besides that as a month to month renter you do have the right to 30 days notice for rent hikes and evicts.
Posted by: ribant4 at February 10, 2009 4:56 PM in response to Right to Sublet?
Another question. Do you already have a room mate? He may not weant a third person in the unit.
Also he may be concerned about him staying and you going. He may be concerned about alot of other things as well. Did you ask him first, or did you just do it.
Posted by: ribant4 at February 10, 2009 5:03 PM in response to Right to Sublet?
nah, he pretty much lives here now (he's already in the neighborhood), and I live alone in a pretty sizable 1.5 bdrm. We're quiet, and don't bother him with repairs, etc, just take care of those things myself. I'm particularly annoyed that I wasn't given a lease from the outset, because legally, if I had a lease, I'm allowed to have a SO or relative move in without the terms of hte lease changing. Also, its crazy 'cause a couple lived in the apt before me! I think he sees it as, well, two people live there now, so you can pay more.
Posted by: ms_boerum at February 10, 2009 5:27 PM in response to Right to Sublet?
Your story seems really strange to me. I'm a LL of a similar building and always let the SO move in. Even if it means a 2 bedroom apt is occupied by three people for awhile the couple always moves out in about six months. Still you should have said something first just out of courtesy.
Also keep in mind not all small LL's really know what they are doing
Posted by: ribant4 at February 10, 2009 9:56 PM in response to Right to Sublet?
Shop around for a better deal. Rents are going down way down! If you are getting a rent increase in these times and stressing over it then you are really a sadist. Do you really want to live in a home with a dictator landlord? It is a renters market get your bunns out the door and look around.
Posted by: hannible at February 11, 2009 8:48 AM in response to Right to Sublet?
verovee
I'm pretty sure there's a law (maybe only for stabilized tenants?) that your landlord has to let you out of your lease if you find a "reasonable" replacement willing to take over the lease and s/he rejects them. It wouldn't be a "sublet" -- they'd sign a new lease.
The law has a lot to say about reasons a landlord can (or mostly can't) turn down a prospective tenant.
-Amanda
Posted by: serpentor at February 12, 2009 2:36 PM in response to Right to Sublet?
Thanks for your response.
No, no rider with an out clause. That would be good. I think he is legally obligated to try and find a new tenant if we need to move out, especially if we give 2 mos notice, but there is really no way I can ensure they look actively.
And two months is fine by us. They usually start asking us about four months in advance but the "deadline" isn't until two months.
Posted by: verovee at February 9, 2009 3:24 PM in response to Right to Sublet?