Anonymous wrote:Ask a lawyer to look over the lease terms. She should document everything in case there is a legal avenue to pursue. Breaking the lease terms/not paying could maker her liable in small claims court and an eviction or whatever the equivalent of not paying is called could make it very difficult for her to rent.
In the future it’s better to try to find a roommate or roommates and rent. Sadly $2200 doesn’t get you much in 2023. For perspective, eight years ago my husband and I paid $2500 for a studio on the UES.
I know, she so badly wanted to live alone with her dog. A lease isn’t valid on an illegal apartment and rent can’t be collected according to
https://nycourts.gov/courts/nyc/housing/pdfs/illegalapartment.pdf
And there are some exceptions in the landlord’s favor.
I’m mostly nervous about her safety. I think she should just move but that’s a major task. And it’s competitive. She could spend more but it sucks paying more because she’s been able to start saving money this year.