Granddaughter Forged Tenant's Signature on Renewal Leases

(Decision submitted by Lauren Popper of the Manhattan law firm of Borah, Goldstein, Altschuler, Schwartz & Nahins, PC, attorneys for the landlord.) Landlord sued to evict rent-stabilized tenant's granddaughter after tenant died. The granddaughter claimed pass-on rights. Landlord showed that the granddaughter had forged tenant's signature on renewal leases for two years after tenant died before landlord discovered it. The court ruled for landlord. The granddaughter's testimony supported her claim that she lived in the apartment with tenant for at least two years before tenant died. But granddaughter lost any possible pass-on rights by forging tenant's signature. Her acts of deceit undermined the integrity of the rent stabilization scheme. And her actions put landlord at a disadvantage. Several employees who could have testified about the granddaughter's occupancy were no longer working for landlord. And during the two years she forged the leases, granddaughter was able to prepare proof that she lived in the apartment.

Riverton Assocs. v. Knibb: NYLJ, 2/4/04, p. 21, col. 1 (Civ. Ct. NY; Acosta, J)