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A woman in trying to take over my apt

NYC Rent Regulation: Rent Control/Rent Stabilized, DHCR Practice/Procedures

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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby TenantNet » Sat Sep 07, 2019 10:59 pm

Shouldn't you have gotten references before she moved in? Check further to see if it's a fake.

Don't speculate; go with what facts you have. But yes, keep looking.

But the problem is she has a court proceeding she filed. Focus on that, not extraneous stuff. What is your attorney telling you, as to the merits and the procedure? Assuming you have a good TENANT attorney, you should follow his/her advice.
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby Sky » Mon Sep 09, 2019 8:27 pm

That's an unusual situation. It appears that the woman is some kind of predator and has concocted a premeditated scheme to victimize you ... and to employ manipulation harassment, violence ... but for what end? To possibly extort money and/or free rent from you?

As there's now a court proceeding you'll of course need to see how that unfolds. Make sure you have a good tenant attorney to represent you.

It's hard to say what I would have done in your shoes ... if I got a green light from my attorney to evict her at the get go, that seems like it would have been the best option to avoid becoming trapped deeper in her web. She a sociopath/psychopath and absolutely no good can come from continued interaction with her.

When she assaulted you if I were in your shoes in addition to calling the police I'd have filed criminal assault charges (and you may still be able to do so ... see what your attorney thinks) along with filing a restraining order with the police. OTOH, as she lied that you assaulted her she could counterclaim charging you with assault turning it to a he said/she said situation. But even so it's possible a restraining order would gain you some traction (and perhaps requiring a police escort for her to enter the apt) and could prevent any future roommate situation from continuing.

It might be a good idea to find out as much as you can about her background, arrest/criminal record, etc. to see what sort of individual you're dealing with and what her modus operandi is.

If she's still entering your apartment I'd urge you to have someone else there (preferably someone who wouldn't be physically intimidated by her) as a witness and also for your safety. I hope you're able to rid yourself of this individual ASAP.

What happened in court today? Please do keep us updated.


[PS: I once lived in a situation that had some similarities to this. In college I rented a room along with other students. No one had a lease, the LL was illegally running the apt. and much of the building like a SRO. At one point after the others living in my apt. moved out the LL served me eviction papers. I got a legal services attorney to help me. In the meantime the LL gave keys for the apt. to a succession of characters, one physically intimidating guy who came late at night, showed me a 'lease' and said it was now his apt., I can live there if I want but I have to live by his rules, he plugged in a telephone he'd brought and left it there, and then left. I never saw him again. A few days later two sketchy guys (crackhead's?) unlocked the door and brought in a large box of rags, a broken lamp, and a derelict chair and placed it all inside one of the rooms .... then they put a padlock on the door and said "We live here now," in an unfriendly and threatening manner and left. My attorney eventually told me to remove all the property they left in the apartment and to hire a locksmith to change the locks on the front door.]
Last edited by Sky on Tue Sep 10, 2019 12:45 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby TenantNet » Mon Sep 09, 2019 8:58 pm

Obviously what they did was not legal, but not knowing the entire story, I can't be certain what you did was legal either. If the LL was renting the place as a SRO (I assume you mean like a rooming house where each room was rented out individually by the LL), that might have been illegal depending on the location. So it might depend on who has tenancy rights for the entire unit. Was it you? If not, then you don't know if the people you describe had any rights conveyed by the LL. That's just a legal take. In the old days I saw situations like you describe much more often than now, but that was usually when the LL wanted to clear the building.
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby Mel31451 » Thu Sep 12, 2019 1:11 pm

Hello!
Paypal: i closed that account in August 27(?) 4 days b4 i emailed her to not pay me and that I would not accept any more money from her. She sent money anyway on sept 1 and i think that was at her own risk. I cant access the money in the closed acct.
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby TenantNet » Thu Sep 12, 2019 3:10 pm

If the account was closed, how did you find out about it? So contact Paypal and see what they did with the money. Is it just sitting there? Did they bounce it back to her? Do you have proof of closure? If so, then why worry?

You were supposed to be in court. What happened?
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby TenantNet » Thu Sep 26, 2019 10:40 pm

We don't know who you are. This is a different username, with a different email address and a different IP number. The username "twinoaks" has been registered since 2015, and users are not allowed to have more than one account. As such we're locking this topic and other twinoaks posts. Please don't use that account again, or we'll be forced to delete the posts.
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby Mel31451 » Sat Sep 28, 2019 6:41 pm

Sorry;
Sometimes i forget/lose things/cant find acct details, etc so prob registered again.
Court date: stip signed and so ordered-woman has to vacate by 9/30. As of today, she hasnt stayed here since 9/3 or 9/4. Most of her things r still in her room. Havent seen nor heard from her. Emailed 2x as to when she'll be out-havent heard back.
Paypal: she told me/emailed me that $$ was sent to that acct.of course i cannot access acct as its been aclosed.
Now, since she no longer lives here, obviously has another place where shes been living, is using my house as storage,,id like to change my locks october 1.
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby TenantNet » Sat Sep 28, 2019 7:06 pm

Whatever you do, don't toss her possessions out. Hold onto them for at lease 90 days minimum. longer if you can. If you have basement storage, put them there. There are rules (which I don't have at my fingertips) as to how and how long landlords must keep tenants' possessions. Best to not handle them so the tenant won't claim you broke them. If you must, have a witness. Also, take photos of them, perhaps some sort of inventory.
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby Mel31451 » Sat Sep 28, 2019 7:22 pm

Thank you. Have taken detailed photos of her "things".
Just received email from her stating shell be by Monday late morning-early afternoon to move out. I responded by tightening the time frame 11a-2p. She also claims that i must return security deposit and "extra" months rent, except the "extra" is the $ she sent to paypal, after i emailed her not to. Court determined that paypal was seperate issue. Since no one will be here with me Monday, im going this evening to buy a "security " camera, recording device with a wide angle just for this occasion!
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby TenantNet » Sat Sep 28, 2019 8:04 pm

You should have a witness and record the audio. NY is a one party consent state, so you can turn on a smart phone and record whatever she says.

As for the money, best if you do whatever is fair, after all you want this episode over. But if you never got the money sent to Paypal, then you can't return what you don't have. But I would try to cooperate with Paypal just to get this tenant out of your hair.
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby Sky » Sun Sep 29, 2019 1:45 pm

Glad to see you're able to move this towards a resolution in a timely manner.
Are you required to do anything in the stip, like pay her money (i.e. extortion) to get her out?

Why don't you post the name of this individual (or at least her initials) - without affirming or denying any wrong doing - so that other unsuspecting leaseholders like yourself will be forewarned from possibly falling victim to what happened to you?
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby TenantNet » Sun Sep 29, 2019 2:11 pm

I'm not sure if we want to get into the naming of people here. Landlords are one thing, but this is a different situation, and we don't know all the facts.
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby Mel31451 » Sun Sep 29, 2019 9:06 pm

As for witnesses, i dont want to burden my friends, and a security camera will be more effective than any witness.
Stip says i have to return security deposit if she leaves things broom clean. Fine, except shes already told me that she's made copies of the keys. Changing the 2 locks is a $500+ deal bc i have 2 Multi locks which ive learned can be copied without the code. Im def not absorbing that cost. As for paypal, which was september rent, i never received it bc account was already closed. court ruled thats a separate issue You know shes going to create a scene when she comes here tomorrow bc she's emailed me that she expects security plus September rent. Im not returning sept rent bc i never received it, and thats established. Security deposit reduced by my actual cost of replacing the 2Multi Locks on my front door .

Im not afraid of lawsuits from her. Just want her physically gone.
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby Sky » Sun Sep 29, 2019 10:08 pm

You'd need to check the law to verify this but - I believe unless the court stip states differently - that you have a couple weeks to return the sec. dep. after your roommate vacates/surrenders the premises. If that's indeed the case you'd have the option of not dealing with the return of security while she's moving her stuff out, you can just do a walk through with her and document any damage, then return her security at a later date after she's gone and has surrendered the keys. That may prevent confrontation on the premises. Later on, after she's taken receipt of the sec. dep. return, if she alleges unwarranted deductions she'll have recourse to either restore the present lawsuit or (if the latter doesn't have jurisdiction over the sec. dep.) she can file a new lawsuit. Even if you're within your rights to deduct monies for the lockset, in the scheme of things it could be cheaper and less aggravation to just eat the cost*.

I don't know what the policy is regarding retaining a portion of the security deposit to pay for lockset replacement(s) in a situation where they have not been damaged, but one where there's proof of additional keys having been produced without consent which could compromise security. You may wish to research that to be clear on your rights and responsibilities.

As there's already been a physical altercation between you two, I'd suggest just staying out of her way and allowing her to do her business without commentary, be courteous, document what ever you need to, and resist any urge to criticize her actions ... i.e. be professional, courteous, and objective ... thus you reduce the potential for activating any conflict. If you can de-escalate any tensions and refuse to become provoked, it'll be over quicker, smoother, and with less potential for additional collateral damage.

If tempers flare and things look to get ugly or out of hand, just call the cops and they'll send someone over to provide an authoritative presence to keep things civil ... it's of the things that cops are really good at.

Resist the urge to seek revenge, it'll only amplify whatever emotional distress you're feeling. She's already got plenty of issues to deal with and is suffering from her actions, so plenty of misery to go around.  :cry:
You can chalk this up to a life lesson regarding the benefits of a thorough interview, references, and/or background check on anyone you're considering inviting to live in home.
Hoping it goes smoothly from here on out.


"Experience is the hardest kind of teacher. It gives you the test first and the lesson afterward."
-Oscar Wilde


*FYI, I'm not an attorney and none of my comments should be considered legal advice. Check with an attorney to be clear on the law.
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Re: A woman in trying to take over my apt

Postby Mel31451 » Wed Oct 02, 2019 6:20 am

I would be a complete fool if i didnt change my locks after she informed me shed made copies. Now, as to whether shes lying about that, idk. But its not for me to guess whether or not shes lying. My home, my safety, and my apartment insurance are at stake. Its not my job to parse her insanity. I changed the locks Tuesday, the day after she left. Better to be safe than sorry
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