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Posted by Anna on August 17, 1999 at 00:25:45:

In Reply to: Verification posted by T H on August 16, 1999 at 17:51:22:

: I have been without a landlord for a year.
: My "new landlord" came inquiring about rent. I then realized that I have no way of knowing if he's a con-man. How do I go about verifying if he is indeed the new landlord. He did show me a deed for the building, like I would know what that should look like anyway. Do I ask for a copy? Am I entitled to a copy? Do I ask for ID?
: What actually raised my suspicions was that fact that he asked for the rent in cash.( Is this normal?... the reason he gave was because he will be making repairs on the building and he wanted to pay the workers right away.) He agreed to give receipts, but I'm not really comfortable with giving cash.

You're right to be suspicious of anyone asking for cash & paying for repairs in cash. Anyone can get a copy of the deed, it's a public record. In Manhattan, go to the Hall of Records, 31 Chambers St: the staff will help you look up your building on the public computers, then locate the deed transfer on the microfiche. Your old landlord should have notified you of the new landlord's name & address; you might also try calling DHCR or HPD. (If anyone knows a NY law about this, please post it: all I've found are laws requiring the new owner to register within 30 days or so with HPD, DHCR, DoB, etc., nothing about informing tenants...) Why have you had no LL for a year? Where/how did you pay the rent?

Follow Ups:

• Re: Verification of landlord DK 8/19/99 (0)
• Re: Verification of landlord Tasha 8/17/99 (1)
  • Re: Verification of landlord: more resources JJ 8/17/99 (0)

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Comments:
: : I have been without a landlord for a year.
: : My "new landlord" came inquiring about rent. I then realized that I have no way of knowing if he's a con-man. How do I go about verifying if he is indeed the new landlord. He did show me a deed for the building, like I would know what that should look like anyway. Do I ask for a copy? Am I entitled to a copy? Do I ask for ID?
: : What actually raised my suspicions was that fact that he asked for the rent in cash.( Is this normal?... the reason he gave was because he will be making repairs on the building and he wanted to pay the workers right away.) He agreed to give receipts, but I'm not really comfortable with giving cash.

: 
: You're right to be suspicious of anyone asking for cash & paying for repairs in cash.  Anyone can get a copy of the deed, it's a public record.  In Manhattan, go to the Hall of Records, 31 Chambers St: the staff will help you look up your building on the public computers, then locate the deed transfer on the microfiche.  Your old landlord should have notified you of the new landlord's name & address; you might also try calling DHCR or HPD. (If anyone knows a NY law about this, please post it: all I've found are laws requiring the new owner to register within 30 days or so with HPD, DHCR, DoB, etc., nothing about informing tenants...)  Why have you had no LL for a year?  Where/how did you pay the rent?


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