In this episode we look at a January 8, 2025 Business Insider article with the headline: “Man Sues Co-Living Company After Being Housed with a Serial Killer”. You simply cannot make this stuff up.

In a 15-page lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, a tenant said that a co-living company breached its duty to him when the company placed him with a roommate it knew to be dangerous and unfit and ignored the fact that the roommate had already exhibited abnormal, alarming, and erratic behavior, the roommate had not paid rent in a year, and the roommate threatened the tenant. Nevertheless, the co-living company denied the tenant’s requests to be relocated after he raised concern about his safety. And then the roommate allegedly killed three sleeping homeless men and another person, over a four-day period. To add insult to injury, when the police busted through the apartment door to arrest the roommate-alleged-serial-killer, they arrested everyone in the apartment, including the complaining tenant, who was obviously later released.

This episode is not merely going to be about a sensational roommate-from-hell story. The company in this LA story is based in New York City and operates here and has at least a dozen competitors doing co-living business here in New York City. Co-living has become more and more common as a natural response to the New York City housing shortage. We have so often seen situations where tenants in co-living situations feel compromised. Today’s episode is about what you, as a tenant in a co-living situation where you feel unsafe, can do to get your co-living landlord to be more responsive to your request to move you quickly to another apartment or to refund your money.

Links:

• Tenant Law Podcast Website

• “Man Sues Co-Living Company After Being Housed with a Serial Killer”

• Suggest future topics at [email protected]

In this episode we discuss a recent case where an ex-husband attempted to evict his ex-wife and their child from a home that he owed, which she did not. We take a deep dive on the familial exception to eviction.

Links:

• Tenant Law Podcast Website

• Today’s Case

• Suggest future topics at [email protected]

In Episode 38 we discuss a recent eviction case that was dismissed when the tenant pointed out to the judge that the landlord lacked capacity to sue because of the defunct status of its limited liability company, which is easy for anyone to look up regarding their landlord.

Links:

• Tenant Law Podcast Website

• Today’s Case

• NYS Department of State Division of Corporations look-up portal for the status of corporations and limited liability companies.

• Suggest future topics at [email protected].

In Episode 37 we discuss how to keep more money in your deceased relative’s estate (for your inheritance) and less in the pocket of the landlord for rent for an empty apartment. We look at the new Real Property Law § 236-A.

Links:

• Tenant Law Podcast Website

• Real Property Law § 236-A

• Suggest future topics at [email protected].

In Episode 36 we discuss a fairly new case interpreting Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law §749(3), which was changed by the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act, which codifies a tenant’s Right of Redemption – the right of the tenant to pay the “full rent due” at any point before the eviction is carried out and stop the eviction and vacate the warrant. But how much is the “full rent due”? Is it the amount in the money judgment against the tenant? Is it the amount due weeks or months later when the warrant of eviction is issued from the Clerk’s Office? Or is the amount due right up until the time that the eviction is scheduled? This new case gives us an answer.

Links:

• Tenant Law Podcast Website

• Today’s Case

• Suggest future topics at [email protected].

In Episode 35 we discuss what the New York City heating requirements are and how to enforce your rights if you are not getting the requisite amount of heat.

Links:

• Tenant Law Podcast Website

• NYC HPD Website for Heating Standards and Making Heat Complaints

• DHCR Heat Complaints for Rent Stabilized Tenants

• Suggest future topics at [email protected].

In Episode 34 we discuss what happens if a New York City agency issues a Vacate Order against your apartment. We tackle the following questions. Does the landlord have to restore the apartment? How will you know what is going on with the apartment? How can you make the landlord fix the apartment and remove the Vacate Order more quickly? How can you make sure the landlord does not fix the apartment and rent it to somebody else? What if you want to break the lease because of the Vacate Order?

Links:

• Tenant Law Podcast Website

• HPD pamphlet about Vacate Orders

• DOB page regarding Vacate Orders

• DHCR information sheet “Tenants Rights To Regain Occupancy After Fire Damage/Vacate Order”

• Reid v. 590 Maple Ventures

• Sanjuro v. Milio

• Vargas v. 112 Suffolk Street

• Suggest future topics at [email protected]

In Episode 33 we discuss two Housing Court cases that were dismissed because the Rent Demands served upon the tenants as predicates to those cases were confusing. If your Rent Demand is gobbledygook, you may be able to get the current case against you dismissed. In general, whether there is a court case against you or not, if your landlord says you owe arrears, she must be able to explain to you exactly what charges are outstanding.

Links:

In Episode 32 we discuss the City, State, and Federal laws that protect victims of domestic violence in housing matters. We look at a very important case where a landlord tried to evict a tenant, when her adult mentally ill son perpetrated serious acts of domestic violence against her.

Links:

• Tenant Law Podcast Website

• Today’s Case

• If you believe you have been the victim of discrimination, contact Law Enforcement Bureau of the New York City Commission on Human Rights to file a complaint.

• NYC Commission on Human Rights Pamphlet on “Protections for Victims/Survivors of Domestic Violence Against Housing Discrimination”

• Federal Violence Against Women Act

• Suggest future topics at [email protected]

In Episode 31 we discuss a fascinating case pending in the New York Courts regarding lease-break fees.

Links:

• Tenant Law Podcast Website

• The Complaint in Today’s Case

• The Memorandum of Law in Support of a Motion to Dismiss Today’s Case

• Suggest future topics at [email protected].