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Restrictions on running home business

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Restrictions on running home business

Postby NYC Living » Wed Apr 02, 2003 3:19 pm

my spouse runs a business from our apartment. There are no customers coming and going, or anything disruptive - simply use of telephone, fax, and pc. Our lease does not prohibit a home business (simply prohibits illegal business). The management office is now giving us a hard time because we have business mail being delivered to our home address, and they are saying this is illegal. Mind you, there are not large quantities of mail coming in, and it certainly doesn't interfere with delivery/service to other tenants. I tried to do an internet search on this to see if there is any validity to the claim, and I came up empty. Does anyone know anything about this. Advice apreciated.
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Re: Restrictions on running home business

Postby mjr203 » Wed Apr 02, 2003 6:12 pm

PO Box might be a good idea.

LL minding their own damn business for a change might be nice too.

Is the apartment stabilized or not? If it is stabilized, I think you'd be in a much better position obviously.

-POINTER
most Landlords suck it.
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Re: Restrictions on running home business

Postby NYC Living » Wed Apr 02, 2003 6:38 pm

The apt is in manhattan, so I don't think it's a "no business zone". The lease is stabilized. We've only lived here for 1 year. I'm just trying to figure out what the f***ing LL is talking about. I think the mgmt office is just blowing smoke, but I want to make sure we are not in violation of any law.

<small>[ April 02, 2003, 05:38 PM: Message edited by: NYC Living ]</small>
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Re: Restrictions on running home business

Postby TenantNet » Wed Apr 02, 2003 9:14 pm

LL is giving you baloney. There is no prohibition against a home-based business in NYC, even with zoning issues. You don't have a sign up, customers aren't coming to the apartment, you don't make noise or otherwise create 'nuisance' or 'waste.' Indeed, if all you do is type and talk on the phone, then how would the LL know what you're doing - or when? It could be for your own personal business for all he knows. If the LL tries to take you to court, he must specify certain facts, i.e., inappropriate noise at 4 PM. What's inappropriate? (assuming it's just the keyboard). How does he know it's business related? If you get a lot of mail, maybe a PO Box might help, but it's not required. If you have a lot of trash related to the business, might be a good thing to find an alternate place to dispose of it (or shred it) - after all, LLs have a habit of reading tenants' papers. In essence, he would need to show that your activities, whatever they are, are putting a strain on the building or other tenants. I'd tell him to mind his own business.
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Re: Restrictions on running home business

Postby NYC Living » Thu Apr 03, 2003 6:31 pm

Thanks. I had a feeling that this was the case. We are certainly not creating a disturbance of placing a strain on building resources. LL was giving us some crap, and I wanted peace of mind from knowing there is no truth to it.

Thanks again.
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Re: Restrictions on running home business

Postby Lilly » Thu Apr 03, 2003 10:59 pm

Ditto on getting a post office box
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