'This is a typo!': New York landlord tries to strictly uphold the terms of lease, backfires

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  • 01
    Font - You want me to read the lease. If you say SO. L OC Long time lurker first time poster. I just had the best malicious compliance today and thought I would share. Back Story: I moved to the big apple in April from LA and signed a lease for an apartment sight unseen. It was the same price as my LA apartment but while in LA $1350 gets you a master bedroom with a walk in closet, private bath and three roommates. In NYC for $1350 they've turned my closet into the bathroom and I now weigh 135.0
  • 02
    Font - I hated living there and after two months when my job said I could work remotely I packed up and went to the Caribbean. While I was there I won the NYC housing lottery. For the first time in my life I could afford to live by myself in NYC of all places. I'd read in forums that landlords are usually pretty happy for tenants when they win and let you out of your lease no problem.
  • 03
    Font - Present: So in my optimism I sent the management company an email letting them know that I won the lottery and wanted to discuss terminating my lease early. They told me to speak to the brokerage to get my room filled. The brokerage told me that I would need to pay a brokers fee of $1350 and still pay rent until they filled the unit or I could try and fill it myself. I find a guy who was already applying with the broker for another unit and he wants my room! Then management says they want
  • 04
    Font - I'm in a bit of a time crunch as new guy wants to move in August 1st so I need to hire movers to take my stuff to storage the next day but if I don't get the approval from management that everything is good to go on their end then there's no point. So I need management to agree to let this guy take over my lease for the price that is on my lease. I argue that a new price would be a new lease and if they want to do that they would have to release me from the lease and market the apartment
  • 05
    Font - I'm upset because management basically wants to make more money and assume no risk. I would end up paying until they rent out the awful room to someone. I tell them this is unfair and makes no sense. Then management tells me well there's no lease take over in the lease. I'm confused because I vaguely remember reading something about a $500 fee for a lease take over. "Read your lease! We were doing you a favor before but now we're only going by the lease!" Management tells me. So I find my
  • 06
    Font - I never found the $500 clause because written on the first page of the lease was Clause 2. Length of Lease: The term (that means length) of this Lease is beginning on 2/1 and ending on 8/31 I'm elated! My move in date for my new place is 8/25 so I no longer need to rush. All because management told me to read my lease. I give them back a call and request the email address to send my 30 Day notice of intent to vacate or if it should be mailed as it's not specified in the lease.
  • 07
    Font - Management tells me that I can't break the lease. I tell them, I'm not it ends next month. I send them a photo of the first page of the lease. He sputters and says, "You know it's a year long lease! This is a typo. As you know I just took over managing the building and I inherited some bad leases. " I didn't know this but I gleefully respond "Well I was doing you a favor before but now I can only go by the lease. If the lease says my term ends next month I have to honor that."
  • 08
    Font - He hangs up furious that this is happening. At this point I am no longer concerned about hiring movers so when he calls me back at 8PM I am ready to tell him the cut off for the movers was 4:00PM and that I will move out according to lease but he starts the conversation in a somber defeated voice, "You can move out on the on the 31st. We just have to go according to the lease. We will do a final walk through and give you back your deposit." As I am still in the Caribbean my cousin will be
  • 09
    Font - Meteoric_Chimera Just goes to show: always read the lease that you're going to sign, doesn't matter what's supposed to be on it. And then read it again when any issues come up! AHOY 466 BefWithAnF Reply Share 304 ●●● When we signed the lease on our current apartment, I think the broker was surprised that my husband & I actually sat down & read the whole thing. I could tell she was getting antsy after about 20 minutes, but knew better than to rush us. We had a few questions about the langu
  • 10
    Font - tink815 so, what is the new york housing lottery? 1.6k Reply Share aalilyah OP u/II-leto u/remartin The Housing lottery, while I am grateful to be a winner, is further evidence that we (especially in NYC) live in a dystopian society. This website had an entire page dedicated to recent listings. But basically in NYC when new construction happens certain number of units are set aside for a lottery for low - middle income individuals to apply for.
  • 11
    Font - In exchange the developers get tax breaks so in the case of my unit. Although it is build specifically with the intention of being a lottery unit (read: smaller, different finishes) it would be at market rate probably $6,000. As a lottery winner I am paying $1900 with the amenities included. Tens of thousands of people apply on the housing connect website so they randomize the numbers and there are certain things you can do to improve your odds but it is ultimately a lottery. 2.3k Reply S
  • 12
    Font - renaissance-Fartist Congratulations on your vacation and compliance. Love when these things work out Reply Share 639 ...
  • 13
    Font - Aragona36 This is what you need to do now. Photograph everything. Ask for an in-person walk- through. Video it if you can and especially if you have pets. Get them on video agreeing that there is no pet smell or pet damage (if this applies to you). There's no way these people aren't going to try and keep your damage deposit at the very least and screw you completely if they can. Reply Share 82 ●●● nOvapine I've lost count of people moving into an apartment with a ton of issues but never d
  • 14
    Font - vacuousintent They were being predatory and screwed themselves. 76 ♡ Reply Share
  • 15
    Font - Kitchen-Art677 Good job with the compliance. It's unfortunate though your story say a lot about the housing crisis in NYC. No one should be paying $1350 for a room and with 5 roommates at that! So many transplants come here and think it's ok to pay so much to live in the city so landlords just keep hiking up the rent because someone thought it was a steal. No shade. It's just what NYC has become. 37 Reply Share aalilyah OP. I completely agree! I would have moved to New Jersey had I seen t
  • 16
    Font - Vena_Mala It's mad to me that neither you nor your landlord read your lease closely enough to see the date that it ends. That's one of the main things you actually need make sure is correct in your lease. Reply Share 23

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