Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in New York

My Landlord keeps coming in my house Unannounced!

My landlord keeps showing up and alot of times unannounced.Can I sue for this as a form of harrassment or anguish? He has a key to the house and lets himself in when he thinks i'm not here and snoops around what should i do?

He lets him self in and turns down the thermostat weekly and complains about the heat bill, when in fact he had agreeded to pay for heat in our lease.It is very aggravating i never no if i can just sit in the living room for example with out worrying if i have to dress a certain way for fear that he may stop by unnanounced. I feel as though he is invading my privacy and there is nothing i can do about it?Also i have complained on several occasion to my landlord about an ant infestation inthe house and he has done nothing about. i am avery clean person and i am not used having bugs crawl around my house.


Asked on 8/11/06, 12:19 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Carlos Gonzalez Gonzalez Legal Associates PLLC

Re: My Landlord keeps coming in my house Unannounced!

Generally, when you rent an apartment yo uare entitled to privacy within your apartment, and such actions on the part of the land lord may constitute invasion of privacy and harassment, which you can sue for... furthermore, if you have a problem with an infestation you can also sue for damamges and seek an abatement of rent, where you will be entitled to a portion of the rent back for as long as the problem has existed.

However, you are also entitled to hire an exterminator out of your own pocket, then deduct the expense from your next rent payment if the landlord has not been cooperative with you... My first step if i were you would be to inform the landlord once again about your problem with ants, then let him know if he does not clear up the situation that you will hire an exterminator yourself and deduct whatever fee the exterminator charges from your rent. It is absolutely legally permissibile to do this.

Feel free to contact me regarding this or any other matter #2127098303

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Answered on 8/12/06, 8:52 am


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