TenantNet Forum

Where tenants can seek help and help others



changed locks

Rights for non-regulated tenants

Moderator: TenantNet

changed locks

Postby jeanniecatusa » Sun Jun 16, 2002 5:43 pm

My boyfriend is an occupant in an apartment in Brooklyn. He is away on vacation and his roommate (I'm not sure if this fellow's on the lease) has informed me he is changing the locks. My boyfriend pays mor than half the rent. I was wondering if it was legal for him to do that, or if I should call the police?
jeanniecatusa
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2002 1:01 am
Location: Brooklyn

Re: changed locks

Postby ChrisG » Mon Jun 17, 2002 12:08 am

can you elaborate on this a bit? why is he changing the locks? i think the landlord should know, i'm not sure that the police would need to be notified, but i can't tell from your post what is the exact nature of this situation.
ChrisG
 
Posts: 80
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2002 2:01 am
Location: Brooklyn

Re: changed locks

Postby jeanniecatusa » Mon Jun 17, 2002 8:43 am

while my boyfriend is away, his roomate wanted his family to stay in my boyfriend's room. (My boyfrind pays nearly two thirds of the rent, while his roomate and girlfriend each pay something ridiculous like $150) Now, my boyfriend is away for nearly a month so he said, okay, if you want your family to stay in my room, give me a break on rent since I won't be here for a month. His roomate refused and said he wouldn't have his family stay in my boyfriends room. So my boyfriend told him that he was giving me his keys and that I would be staing in his room every so often. (to make sure his roomate wasn't letting his family stay in my boyfriend's room.)
I went to the apartment last week and this guy tells me I need to call before I come. But I'm acting in my boyfriend's place while he is gone. So I came over Saturday, unannounced, and his roomate is having some sort of family dinner/party. I walk into my boyfriend's room and find that his roomate is using it for storage and, while I'm not positive, having his family stay in my boyfriend's room. I asked his roomate into my boyfriend's room and confronted him about why his stuff was in to room and let him know I wouldn't be calling before I came over because I'm not a guest, Blah, Blah, Blah. So he tells me he is going to change the locks. Can he do that?
jeanniecatusa
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2002 1:01 am
Location: Brooklyn

Re: changed locks

Postby Cranky Tenant » Mon Jun 17, 2002 9:38 am

Unless you're actually living in the apartment, I'd simply tell your boyfriend what's going on and let him deal with it.
I'm a cranky tenant NOT a cranky lawyer.
Cranky Tenant
 
Posts: 1791
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2002 2:01 am
Location: Manhattan

Re: changed locks

Postby ChrisG » Mon Jun 17, 2002 4:33 pm

yeah, it's really between your boyfriend and the other guy. truly, if your boyfriend is paying rent on that room, the other guy shouldn't touch it, but since you're not on the lease either, you don't have any legal ground to go in there and check up on him. it sounds like he's just trying to get a free lunch. but if he does change the locks i'd call the landlord and inform him of the situation. at any rate, in a month your boyfriend will be back and this will over be over, right?
ChrisG
 
Posts: 80
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2002 2:01 am
Location: Brooklyn

Re: changed locks

Postby jeanniecatusa » Mon Jun 17, 2002 5:33 pm

Okay. Thanks to both of you!
jeanniecatusa
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2002 1:01 am
Location: Brooklyn


Return to NYC Non-Regulated Apartments

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests