Court Will Consider Tenant Counterclaim for Violations

(Decision submitted by Ryan J. McNamara, Esq. of the Manhattan Tenants' Rights Unit of the New York Legal Assistance Group, attorneys for tenant).

Landlord sued to evict the occupant of a rent-stabilized apartment, claiming that he was a licensee/squatter. The occupant showed that he was the apartment's rent-stabilized tenant, and the court sanctioned landlord's attorney for mispleading the tenant's regulatory status. Tenant, now represented by counsel, then asked the court for permission to submit a late answer with counterclaims to landlord's petition. Landlord, in turn, asked to discontinue the case. The court ruled for tenant, stating that landlord's case against tenant was discontinued but that the case would proceed solely on the tenant's counterclaims. The court scheduled a hearing concerning 36 outstanding HPD violations dating back to February 2021.

1334 B LLC v. Pritchard: Index No. LT-333720-23 (Civ. Ct. Kings; 1/8/25; Ortiz, J)[5-pg. document]