Health & Fitness
Peter C. Walsh, Esq.
Landlords may be subject to triple damages for engaging in self-help to remove residential tenants.
Did you know that landlords are prohibited from engaging in self-help to remove residential tenants? Yes, a landlord can be subject to trebel damages for engaging in self-help to remove a residential tenant. Examples of self-help are changing the locks, turning off the water supply and, turning off the heat.
Landlords can legally remove a tenant by utilizing a Summary Proceeding in a Landlord/Tenant Court. These courts are located in the District Courts for each of the five western Towns of Suffolk County and, in the Justice Courts for each of the five eastern Towns of Suffolk County. In some instances, a Village Court may have jurisdiction over Landlord[Tenant disputes.
The most popular forms of summary proceedings are Non-Payment proceedings and Holdover proceedings.
