Need To End A Tenancy Or Evict Someone In The Bronx? This NYC landlord lawyer Can Help!

If you want to end a tenancy or evict a tenant in The Bronx - Call the Law Office Of Jeffrey W. Johnson for effective and efficient help.

The Bronx has come a long way in the last 40 years, but it remains one of the most precarious New York City Boroughs for renters and landlords alike. Of all the boroughs, The Bronx still has the lowest rate of owner occupancy, which also means the highest proportion of tenants.

Inevitably, this also means it sees more conflicts between tenants and landlords than most areas of the city. Situations of conflict arise when it becomes easier, or smarter, for a landlord to seek an eviction or a slightly less dramatic termination of tenancy. In either case, the procedures to follow are hardly straightforward or simple.

Fortunately, landlords in The Bronx can count on the assistance of seasoned lawyers like Jeffrey Johnson to help them navigate such tricky situations efficiently and effectively.

Tenant-Landlord Relations Never Easy In The Bronx

As a majority-tenant real estate market, The Bronx is one of the tensest Boroughs of New York for renters and landlords alike. Tensions have historically been high, which bubbled to a head halfway through the last century when property values plummeted in The Bronx.

Landlords blamed rent control and vandalism, and tenants blamed landlords for exploitation and improper care of the properties. The whole situation was, inevitably, a vicious cycle that culminated in a metaphorical firestorm of arsons, neglect, and abandonment through the Borough, but most especially in the Southwest or South Bronx.

While this urban decay has been turned around since the 90s, and The Bronx is now a growing and, in many ways, thriving borough, tensions persist. They can make it even more dicey for landlords to confront problematic tenants or ask them to leave.

Nevertheless, sometimes landlords have no choice or need to take action when that happens; it is not to the ways of the past that you should look to. Instead, you should contact an experienced real estate lawyer for guidance and assistance.

Termination Of Tenancy And Evictions In The Bronx, A Lawyer Answers Your Most Common Questions

Taking action against a tenant in The Bronx, whether that is to initiate a termination of tenancy or an eviction, is not an easy process, nor one you should undertake lightly. You should only pursue it if you have tried other reasonable alternatives and understand what you are getting into.

Termination Of Tenancy Or Eviction? Which Option Is Best In The Bronx?

If you are struggling with a problematic tenant or need to free up a property in the Bronx (such as to make improvements to the building), you might be struggling to figure out the right way forward and choose between the two options available. You can try to terminate the tenancy or pursue an eviction.

In theory, an eviction allows you to push someone out of a property even if they do not want to go. In practice, though, eviction is not an easy step to take or to get a court to agree to. As a far more dramatic and forceful option, an eviction requires certain conditions to be met for a court to agree to it, as well as a number of procedures to be followed to safeguard the tenant (to a certain extent).

A termination of tenancy is a less drastic and less dramatic option. While it might, in theory, take longer to be able to pursue the termination of their tenancy, the procedures and requirements for getting one are (in some ways) substantially easier, which might allow you to get a faster resolution. More importantly, though, the conditions under which you cannot pursue a termination of tenancy are far more lax, making it often the more realistic option.

That said, there are still conditions that landlords need to understand and comply with before terminating the tenancy of a renter, which a lawyer can help you figure out.

When Can A Landlord Pursue Termination Of Tenancy In The Bronx?

When exactly you can terminate a tenancy in the Bronx depends on several factors, the first of which is whether you have a lease. If you do not have a signed lease agreement with your tenant, then you can start the procedure at any time (well, almost; see the next section).

If you do have a lease, however, it will usually dictate some conditions about when and why you can terminate the tenancy early (just as it will establish rules for the tenant if they want to leave before the end of the lease).

Since 2019, New York law has clarified the rules on tenant termination and provided more strict guidelines on the timing, requiring either 30, 60, or 90 days' notice. Which period is required depends on how long they have been your tenant and whether there is a lease.

Under What Circumstances Is A Tenant In The Bronx Protected From Termination?

If the lease specifically protects a tenant under any circumstances, those must be respected unless they have already broken it themselves, and even then, you would want to work closely with an attorney.

But even outside the protections of a lease, some tenancies cannot be so easily terminated. Most notably, those in government-subsidized, rent-controlled or rent-stabilized housing enjoy additional legal protections. If you are looking to end the tenancy of someone in any of those categories, you might be out of luck, though a skilled landlord-tenant lawyer may be able to find a way.

Finally, under many programs that provide for back pay, if you have accepted it, you will not be able to pursue the same eviction or termination options. In those cases, a breach of lease or a nuisance-level incident or problem will be required. Not to mention the help of a skilled and experienced landlord-tenant lawyer.

Call Now For A Free Consultation! (718) 557-9767

In A Dispute With A Tenant In The Bronx? Contact A Landlord Rights Lawyer Near You

Law Office Of Jeffrey W. Johnson | A lawyer providing landlords in the Bronx and throughout New York City essential tools and services for dealing with tenant disputes and tenancy terminations.

Hopefully, you will never encounter any sort of problem with your tenants in the Bronx. But if you do, now you know the basics of how to handle it, and the most important step is to call a good lawyer with NYC tenant-landlord dispute experience.

If you are dealing with a difficult tenant and need to terminate or evict, the sooner you pick up the phone and call (718) 557-9767, the faster attorney Jeffrey Johnson can get the wheels of the NYC justice system and housing court rolling. So call now or set up a free online consultation to get started and protect your property and income.