Senator Addabbo Secures Tenants’ Right to Access Local Courts for Housing Complaints Against Landlords

Queens, NY, June 4, 2010 -- Renters who are cheated out of their security deposits will have an easier time taking the landlord to small claims court, says Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach).

 Because of legislation (S4781A) passed by the Senate Democratic Majority, tenants can go to court where their apartment is located, rather than where the landlord’s business is registered. A judge, in a recent ruling (Solomon v. Correll), had urged the state legislature to address this problem. The bill is awaiting final action in the NYS Assembly.

A landlord’s official business site can be very far from where they actually rent units, placing an unnecessary burden on all tenants, but particularly seniors and those without the means to travel.

“It is unfair to place Queens tenants in a position of having to access and fund travel when their landlord, who may be located in a distant county, is at fault. Now, when there is a dispute with their landlord, tenants have the ability to seek recourse where they live,” noted the Senator. “The hard-working people of my district
 know and appreciate that this bill is just applying common sense--to provide new access to local courts for tenants.

Before, renters were limited in their ability to seek a legal remedy and it gave landlord-abusers an incentive to continue business as usual. Everyone should have access to the protections our legal system affords, regardless of the financial resources available to them. I applaud Senator Liz Krueger for spearheading this legislation I voted
for that will result in tenants having the ability to seek recourse where they live when there is a dispute with their landlord,” noted Senator Addabbo.

For more information, contact the Senator’s Howard Beach district office at 718-738-1111.