One for the law texts...HELP!

[golden]

My fiancee lives in a 2BR non-controlled/regulated apartment in NYC. We were in the market for a larger apt where we all could live together but no luck. Viola The landlord's agent in my Fiancess's building informs us that the adjacent apartment has become available and that they would combine the apartments for us for a small fee. We were told that the new combined lease would run for a term equal the term of the original lease which still had just over a year left. I move in my fiancess apartment the week before the combined apartment is to be ready. We sign the lease, give them the required deposists and payments.. they start breaking the walls. The next day we are told that if we do not extend the term of the lease to 2 years we "have no deal". That's not the deal they presented, that's not the deal I signed. I don't want an extended lease. They did not give me a copy of the lease executed by the landlord. What are my options? If we can't use the orginal 2br apartment and move out the landlord will try to keep our 3 months!! security deposit. ADVICE PLEASE!!!

[Cranky Tenant]

Leases are normally for one or two years so if your LL actually said "for a term equal the term of the original lease" he may have well meant two years, rather than the remainder of the current lease.

Without knowing how large the "small fee" for the conversion might have been, it doesn't seem unreasonable that he might want to rent the apartments for two years now that he's spent time and money making the conversion.

Since you can no longer remain in the original apartment it might be better to go ahead with the lease rather than quibble over the difference and risk legal action.