What to do if my building is forcing me to pay $375 for a scratch in the elevator that I did not do?

What to do if my building is forcing me to pay $375 for a scratch in the elevator that I did not do?

We sold our apartment upstairs and began renting one a few floors down so we rented the elevator to move our things and had to leave a deposit. After that day they claimed we scratched the wall but we didn’t and the scratch has been there for weeks or months prior. The walls on every floor have the same scratches. I refused to pay it and blocked my deposit cheque. Ever since they have been harassing me about noise complaints and countless other things that are not true and now threatening to evict us. We have lived in the building for 12 years and have never had a problem. What can I do?

Asked on March 9, 2012 under Real Estate Law, New York

Answers:

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