The relationship between landlords and tenants in New York may be impacted after commercial real estate buildings are sold to different owners. Commercial property investments can lead to disputes between landlords and tenants and resolving these disputes can be complicated and time-consuming for everyone involved.
At least that is the case for a current landlord-tenant dispute in New York involving a restaurant tenant and their landlord at the Sony Building in Midtown. The tenant is facing eviction proceedings from Sony, with the landlord saying that the tenant is violating his lease by littering in public areas.
The landlord-tenant dispute began after Sony sold the Sony Building tower to new investors earlier this year. Despite the sale, Sony is the major retail tenant in the building for the next two years and still holds the lease to the tenant’s restaurant. The landlord, Sony, started eviction proceedings against the tenant after the sale. The landlord claims that the tenant has increased the amount of garbage littered in public areas, which is a violation of the lease agreement. The landlord also claims that tenant was never supposed to open a pizzeria and never discussed it with them.
The tenant disputes these claims, saying that a majority of the garbage outside his restaurant is from people walking through the atrium where his restaurant is located. He also claims that the eviction proceedings only started after Sony sold the building to new investors who want to change the retail shops in the building and turn it into a hotel-condominium tower. The tenant said he plans to fight the eviction proceedings and wants to keep his pizzeria in the Sony Building.
This case is an example of how commercial property sales can impact the relationship between landlords and tenants. In landlord tenant disputes like this one, it is best to consult a real estate attorney to discuss what legal options are available to resolve the dispute that protect the tenant’s or landlord’s rights under New York law.
Source: The New York Times, “Sony Wants Pizzeria Out of Buiding In Midtown,” C.J. Hughes, Aug. 13, 2013