How to remove my subtenant?
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How to remove my subtenant?
A few months ago, I sublet my room in an apartment to an individual. Per our agreement, they were to pay rent and the cost of the utilities as indicated in a text agreement. Since that time, they have not paid utilities, and due to a dispute with one of the other co-tenants, decided to run up the bills and leave the burners on during the day when not back at the apartment. When I confronted them about it, the mentioned they are not going to pay the utilities and only
agreed to do so as a courtesy to me. I would like to know how I can get rid of them and the proper process for doing
it. They are slated to leave the room at the end of next month but I’d like them out sooner in light of this very recent and disturbing conduct, preferably within the week.
Asked on November 9, 2018 under Real Estate Law, New York
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
Contact a landlord-tenant attorney and have him or her do this for you: landlord-tenant law is NY is very tenant-protective and somewhat procedurally complex, and taking action the wrong way can substantially delay any evictions. The point is, you can only evict in NY through the courts (and only for good cause, like nonpayment of rent, damaging the apartment, violating other terms of the lease, etc.), and so have to work through the legal system. I practice landlord-tenant law in the neighboring state of NJ, which also has a tenant-friendly and procedurally complex landlord-tenant legal system, and I have seen many "pro se" (trying to be their own lawyers) landlords fail to evict bad tenants because the landlord got the paperwork or timing wrong, or didn't properly allege the grounds for eviction. If you want this person out, hire a lawyer.
It will take MUCH longer than a week, by the way: several weeks or possibly months. That's simply how long the eviction process takes. However, you still want to start now, even if you think they should leave in a month and a half, since if they don't leave then, you want the process well under way, and not wait until you discover they are not leaving to begin it.
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