Hello everyone
I have a question regarding the last month's rent for nyc apartments in relation to the new rent laws. I live in lower Manhattan and 8 years ago I signed a lease, where I gave the landlord first month, deposit and last month's rent.
Through the subsequent years whenever renewing my lease he has been asking me to give him the additional deposit whenever he increases the rent. For example when the new lease is signed and the new rent is 2200 and the old one was 2000 I would give him $200 extra for deposit. But he never asked for extra rent for the last month's rent to match the new rent and that money for last month's rent has stayed there, banked with him for 8 years.
Question is: considering the new rent laws where landlords can only ask for first month and deposit - can I now ask to spend that last month's rent that I payed him for my next rent payment plus the difference (2000+ 600 extra dollars) without getting evicted? I don't want to move and make that a notice of me moving out, I just want to know if I can spend that money that I have parked with him for 8 years.
As a side note: this is a non-stabilized old building, 3 stories tall in downtown and he has been mostly an absentee landlord, where I have had to do repairs, staircase cleaning etc.
Thanks in advance for your advice