No lease, Vacated, Landlord harrasses for back rent

[argybargy2000]

My jurisdiction is: New York, New York

Help.

I lived in an apartment for years. I never signed a lease. The building was sold and a new landlord came in. Still no lease. I fell behind on rent and was never able to fully make it up.

I voluntarily vacated the apartment 7 months ago and told the landlord I would work to get him additional money.

I never agreed in writing the amount of money I owed the landlord. He does not have my new address. He recently tried to deposit a year old check of mine and will not go away. He claims I owe him $8,000.

Sometimes I paid rent in cash, sometimes check or money order.

What can he do? What can I do? I do not want to pay this guy $8,000.

Some advice please.

Can he take me to court? I have electric bills placing me at that residence but nothing else in writing nor is there any writen agreement about the amount of rent.

Should I settle? he says i owe $8,000. Should I say, "I will give x amount over this period of time and that is it."

What should I or should I never commit to in writing/email?

I want to do something honorable but within my means and within reason.

 

[Gail_in_Georgia]

The honorable thing to do is to pay what you yourself admit you owe him.

Can he take you to court over this? Yes. In the absence of a written lease, a tenant is considered to have a "tenancy at will" or be a "month to month" renter (i.e., their lease runs from the first day of the month to the last day of the month). Such leases can typically be terminated with a 30 day notice (in my state of Georgia I must give the tenant a 60 day notice).

If you did not give your landlord the required written notice you would owe for that month plus the rent of the rent that you say your owe when you fell behind.

Have you paid him anything on the owed rent since you moved out 7 months ago? If not, he is likely to be angry enough to sue you. If you are paying him...and this payment is in cash...make sure you get receipts for this.

Gail