Landlord Fined $4,000 for Harassing Apartment Occupant to Force Relocation

Former landlord of a three-family house rented a bedroom in a two-bedroom apartment to tenant, who lived there with her daughter. The apartment also contained a third, illegal bedroom. New landlords bought the house and moved into the other bedrooms without prior notice to, or consent from, tenant.  They did this after failing to get tenant to move out. Tenant sued landlords, claiming harassment and asking the court to prevent landlords from living in the apartment.

The court ruled for tenant in part. Landlords didn't commit harassment by occupying portions of the apartment that tenant wasn't entitled to occupy. But they exerted pressure on tenant to move out by continued acts, including calling authorities to report neglect of tenant's child, and commencing construction inside the unit of the now-shared living area. These were substantial acts of harassment. The court imposed civil penalties of $4,000 against landlord but wouldn't prevent landlord from occupying the apartment.

Butler v. Thomas: NYLJ No. 1598264213, 2020 NY Slip Op 20230 (Civ. Ct. Kings/ 8/19/20; Wang, J)