I am hoping someone here can help me.
The Management Company tried to increase the rent in June of last year. I entered into negotiations on keeping the old rent; talked to them a few times and they promised to get back to me. Of course they stopped returning my calls and when the lease renewal date came up and I had not heard back from them, I signed the renewal. BUT I changed the terms on the lease renewal to keep the rent at the same level as the old rent. I figured it would buy me some time.
Instead, the Management Company signed the lease - with all my handwritten changes included - and sent it back to me.
Now, they keep sending my notices for the increase in rent. I called back and told them no way - they signed the lease with the changes so they are bound by them. They said they disagreed. This has been going on for six months, so I finally talked to a lawyer friend of mine who informed me that:
(1) the management company is bound by the lease they signed, including my handwritten changes; and (2) if they disagreed, I could argue that as there was no meeting of the minds and there is a dispute on the lease, there isn't a valid lease and I am now on a month-to-month since I keep paying the rent and they keep taking it.
I would love a second opinion. Does anyone know NYC law on this? Am I really on a month-to-month?