In March of this year, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo instituted a moratorium on evictions throughout the state to alleviate some of the economic strain caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which is currently set to end on August 20. Even though the moratorium has yet to expire, landlords who have not been paid by their tenants are already filing in record numbers to evict delinquent tenants. As a result, many tenants may be facing eviction quite soon, causing confusion and chaos as tenants struggle to figure out what they will do once the moratorium ends.
The moratorium on evictions was instituted in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which remains a major threat to public health in New York and around the country. The moratorium was intended to protect people from being evicted and thrown out onto the street at a time when people were supposed to be staying home to comply with quarantine restrictions. For the duration of the moratorium, landlords could not legally evict tenants from their apartments, even if they did not pay rent.
Landlords, of course, are eager to begin evicting non-paying tenants so they can begin collecting rent from their properties once more. Tenants, on the other hand, are hoping for the moratorium to be extended, as unemployment remains high and many tenants are left without the ability to pay. Without additional legal or financial assistance, many tenants will soon be facing homelessness.
If you have questions regarding your rights as a landlord or tenant, you should seek advice from an attorney experienced in handling these matters. A New York landlord-tenant lawyer, who is experienced in handling landlord-tenant cases of all sorts, can advise you of your legal rights and will fight for your best interests in court. If you are facing a dispute over unpaid rent, lease violations, or other similar issues, contact the Suffolk County landlord-tenant attorneys at McGuire, Peláez and Bennett at (631) 348-1702.