Landlord Forged Marshal's Eviction Notice and Posted It on Tenant's Door

Tenant sued landlord in an HP housing court proceeding, seeking apartment repairs and claiming that landlord harassed her on the telephone and posted a marshal's eviction notice on her apartment door with a copy of her passport. Tenant also requested a restraining order. Tenant had paid rent until April 2020, when she lost her job due to the pandemic. When tenant asked landlord for a rent reduction, she was told to move out. The city marshal named on the Marshal's Legal Possession notice testified that he had never prepared a notice of eviction for this landlord and that the legal possession notice would be given to a landlord, not a tenant. The court found that the eviction notice had been forged by landlord and could be construed as an act by landlord to intimidate and cause tenant to move out. Recorded conversations between landlord and tenant also supported the finding that landlord had posted the forged notice. The court imposed $8,000 in penalties payable to HPD and gave tenant a money judgment against landlord for $3,000 and $1,000 as compensatory damages. The court also issued a restraining order to prevent landlord from engaging in future harassment.

Pang v. Roosevelt Holding Corp.: 2021 NY Slip Op 50919(U), NYLJ No. 1633461563 (Civ. Ct. Queens; 9/24/21; Sanchez, J)