Landlord Uses Spy Tactics to Catch Bad Tenant

A judge in New York has awarded a landlord the right to reclaim a rent stabilized rental property after state-of-the-art surveillance techniques proved the tenant no longer lived there.

Lawyers with Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. reported that the management firm used surveillance video placed at exits, and hired private investigators to track a tenant it suspected of faking residency to preserve the right to pay below-market rent.

Those investigators discovered the woman had registered to vote in another state, and registered cars in multiple states. They also discovered she was wanted by the Secret Service, according to the report.

After viewing the dossier, the judge granted possession of the unit back to the landlord. The firm’s attorney commented that for landlords in similar situations, the money spent on investigating abuses would save twice that spent fighting for the information in court.

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