Rentals in August/July

May, June and September are probably the strongest months for lease signings, particularly if the apt appeals to recent grads. That being said, this sounds like another form of the LL squeeze. You want a month, so they ask for two.

any suggestions on how to get them to come down?

There is no magic. You must be prepared to move. And the bluff/threat may or may not work.

Aug 1 is prime rental season. Are you going to another rental, buying, or leaving town?

And when is your lease over?

lease ends this week! moving to a coop sublet in mid july

Call the movers. Put your stuff in storage for 2-3 weeks. Stay in an SRO, some in safe Manhattan neighborhoods are available for $17/night. Will you be uncomfortable and inconvenienced? Absolutely. However, you will save at least 1-3/4 months rent. And in mid July you will move into your coop sublet. If you are prepared to do this, you can than go to your LL and put your foot down. One month or you leave.

Please if you are talking about one month. just refuse to move. It will take far longer for the court system to work, Just remit your old rent.

do not follow Riversider's advice.

The landlord can easily place a notice on your housing court records and that is a terrible mark on anyone's rental application. Seriously the last tenant I had with a landlord/tenant court had to pay 6 months rent upfront.
Just work it out

how do you find out if there has ever been a notice placed on your housing court records?

i'm not sure... when i run a credit check, it allows me to access housing court records.

I don't know if I agree with Riversider's advice or not about refusing to move, although you can probably go up against the landlord by threatening it and he'll cave ... because, snezan, you can't just put a notice on someone's housing court records. You have to file suit in housing court, which in this instance is a waste of time since timing wouldn't even work to get to a trial or hearing. If the landlord really wants to be difficult, he might sue in civil court after the move-out claiming that the timing didn't allow him to rent at the right time and therefore he lost a months' rent, though again, I suspect this is just worth a bit of shouting and threatening and no actual action - not worth the aggravation.

Again, I'm not an attorney.

I know.

It is a ridiculous idea

Why open yourself up to all that potential grief?

For what?

Stupid, stupid idea.

I'm with PMG. Hell, check into a hotel, stay with a friend, go somewhere for the long weekend. There's lots of things 2 month's rent can buy.

perhaps you can agree with your landlord to sublet the extra month you don't want, if you're willing to deal with that.