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The Tenant Learning Pad

A blog of tenant questions and TLP instructors’ answers.

The Difference Between a Roommate and a Subtenant

Tenant Question: I am the only person on my lease. I live in a 40-unit building. I want to take on a roommate for six months, for the fall school semester. The managing agent of my building insisted on meeting my roommate and having her fill out paperwork before he would issue her a key

You Are a Tenant If You Paid the Rent in Your Own Name, Even If Only Your Ex-Boyfriend Is On the Lease

Tenant Question: My ex-boyfriend moved into a Rent Stabilized apartment in 2005. I moved in with him 2010, and have lived in the apartment ever since. Only my ex-boyfriend’s name was never on the lease. My ex-boyfriend moved out in 2015. I started paying the rent in 2015 from a checking account in my name

Rent Stabilization is Not a Status That You and Your Landlord Can Just Contract Out of for Your Mutual Profit

Tenant Question: I am subletting my Rent Stabilized apartment and I am overcharging my subtenant – I know it and my landlord knows it. My rent is close to the deregulation threshold amount. My landlord and I talked about it. I asked her if she will let me keep the apartment and continue to let

You Don’t Need to Chase Your Previous Landlord to Get a Rent Abatement – Get the Abatement from the Building’s New Owner!

Tenant’s Question: I’m a tenant of a Rent Stabilized apartment in Brooklyn. The building was just sold and now I have a new landlord. The previous landlord of this building, however, was very bad. I wish that I had sued my old landlord while he was still around. I want to find my previous landlord