Roommate Hid Tenant's Death from Landlord for Years

Landlord sued to evict tenant's roommate 13 years after tenant died. The roommate claimed succession rights to the apartment. After a trial, the court ruled for landlord. The roommate appealed and lost. Tenant's roommate intentionally hid tenant's death from landlord. He forged tenant's name on seven renewal leases and on rent payments. In 2002, when landlord asked tenant to notarize a document, the roommate finally admitted that tenant was deceased and asked for a renewal lease in his own name. Although the roommate claimed that landlord's building employees knew that tenant had died, he didn't prove this. And the roommate deliberately misrepresented his status for years. He also presented no convincing proof that he had any pass-on rights to the apartment.

South Pierre Associates v. Mankowitz: NYLJ, 10/16/07, pg. 32, col. 1 (App. T. 1 Dept.; McCooe, JP, Davis, Schoenfeld, JJ)