Legal Words of Wisdom for New York Landlords

Landlords can avoid costly mistakes by heeding these words of wisdom:

• Know thy tenant. Screen all prospective tenants with a rental application, credit/criminal report and proper identification.
• A verbal agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. Always use written leases.
• A picture is worth a thousand words. Use move-in/move-out checklists supported by before-and-after photographs and videotapes of the apartment.
• No money = no keys. Do not give the apartment keys to the tenant until the security deposit is paid and the lease has been signed.
• Get the lead out. Warn tenants of the dangers of lead paint by providing them with the “Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home” pamphlet (see “Landlord/Tenant Websites”) and lead disclosure form (see “Free Online Forms and Checklists”) by abating any existing lead paint.
• Don’t delay until tomorrow what you can do today. Don’t wait too long to evict a tenant who is delinquent in paying rent.
• You get what you pay for. Never have tenants do repair work or painting in exchange for the payment of rent.
• Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Do not ignore discrimination laws and building code violations.