I need help! Landlord wants to evict us!Please Help

[Jamie May]

Hi, I really need help from some one. My landlord wants us to move because we owe a lot of money, I understand that, but we have very good reasons why we are behind in Rent. When he took over (buying this house) he raised the rent three times in one year, we were paying $350.00 at the time he took over, then he raised it to $600.00 and then raised it to $800.00 and now it is $875.00 and in the mean time all this was taking place my daughters needed a Kidney Transplant. One became very ill and almost died, so her dad had to give his Kidney to her, which left our other daughter with out. I can't give her one of mine because I had to have a Transplant myself, so in the mean time all this was taking place my ex-husband whom I live with, could not work, so that started the roller coaster down hill. Now our landlord has made us sign a paper that we would pay $1,100.00 a month until we are caught up, but with his type of work he kept getting laid off. He does Drywall! Our landlord asked us to send him a cashiers check for $800.00 on June 14,02 so we did, now he said he never received it and I called the Bank and they verified that it was never cashed, and the landlord wants all the back rent by July, 10,02 or he will have us out in 10 days, will some one PLEASE HELP! We don't have any income right now, and I'm to ill to keep trying to hang on. Every thing I have stated here is true. I’m trying to get permanent Disability but that takes a long time. Does he have the right to have us out in 9 to 10 days or can he have us out in that amount of time? There is a lot more involved to write all at once. Our landlord is a good man and has tried working with us but every time we get into an agreement some thing goes wrong. Can some with knowledge in this area please talk to me.

[ellerge]

Sorry for your situation. You are in a bind and I cannot offer a way out. But, I will tell you two things to do and one thing to consider. The first thing you should do is CALL your landlord at least once every week. The second thing to do is NEVER lie to him or make him a promise that you cannot keep. The thing to consider is this: You may (will) be paying this Landlord for many years to come - in addition to your current Landlord!
One other thing - the rent increases seem to be quite large. Was the rent increased to make you move or to make the rent FMV? And are the increases legal? (Did you have a Lease?) Find out! Did the Landlord do something (such as not having a LBP disclosure) that was not legal?

[Brooklyn Babe]

Hi Jlynne,
This section applies to issues facing NY Tenants. I have posted some info. for you in "General Discussion: Beyond NY"