LI Landlords... am I missing something? (Brookhaven, Copiague: apartments, renters, eviction)

[Pityparty]

Most landlords on Long Island are renting their apartments illegally and as a byproduct of such, not paying a fair share of taxes.

But in the forums it seems that LLs seem to make it as if they need to do this otherwise they don't turn a profit (taxes too high) / they seem as if they are wrongfully demonized.

I see forums here and in other places where people are looking for a place to report an illegal apartment and people tell them to mind their own business. But why should LLs get away with tax evasion and why should tenants be forced into crappy living conditions?

Is the majority of tenants out there bad? Is eviction something that happens constantly? It seems to me that LLs don't really do anything except collect money that they aren't working for. Every landlord I ever had (and most my mother has had) have either never given back the security or didn't have it to give back and we had to wait months for. We've always had problems with nearly every LL. My mothers current LL likes to come in our home without notice (even if we're not here), and has been lying to her, telling her that it's legal due to the lease. He doesn't make repairs and has silly rules like no bird feeders. The gate there was hard to open/close and told her he would fix it when we moved in. Seven years later and after constant complaint he just removed the gate and it's propped against the shed in our yard. The unit here is illegal and has 2 apartments where he gets nearly $4,000 a month for both. Is getting the proper permits and paying the rightful taxes on it really going to break the bank? It's a garbage house with cheap carpets, cheap white cabinets and white paint... which seems to be a common theme in apartments on LI. It's not even in an amazing location... border of Amityville and Copiague.

It seems to me Landlords just profit off of the fact that they either had amazing credit or started out with money while the high rent prices leave little room to save for lower income families to ever own (in other words, rich get richer poor get poorer).

My previous employer had 10 rental properties and I would manage his homes as well as his landscaping business. I watched as his renters paid more money monthly than the mortgage payments were (One home was a 2100/mo mortgage that he charged a single tenant 2300 for... which was his only single legal property). One apartment was illegally constructed on his work premises and was dangerous and had one of his own employees living there with his family. He allowed his employee to rent out the basement to even more people even though it didn't even have a kitchen.

It seems most absentee LLs on LI are either greedy/irresponsible. Even when the tenant stops paying and eviction ensues or they have to take a tenant to court for damages... I mean, you are getting paid monthly, the trouble of court can be considered one of those days you actually work for that money.

And LLs that aren't absentee and have renters to help pay the mortgage... if your mortgage is 1600 a month and you make an illegal apartment and charge 1500 a month, it's like you're practically paying next to nothing for your home and still refuse to pay your fair share of taxes on it. I'm aware taxes are high on LI but like in my current situation, I'm living in a home that maybe pays 9000 in taxes but is making nearly 48k a year... which disgusts me as to why the permits are just too expensive to get.

And to top it all off most LLs are too lazy to show their own apartments so they just get brokers to do the work for them and then the tenants foot the bill!

But yet LLs seem to make themselves out as victims. Is renting to tenants hard? Is eviction something you see every year? I'd seriously like to know why LLs seem to have a sob story when they literally are paid to do nothing, and poor tenants / poor-credit tenants are exploited by them.

Or has my family and I just always had poor luck with LLs?

[DawnSells]

I don't think that it makes a bit of difference what the LL's mortgage is and what the LL is making in profit on the apartment. The issue is the fact that it is illegal and they are dodging taxes. So what some would say. How many of these illegal apartmentd have kids that utilize the schools? What is one, 1 family house is rented out to 2 families, both with kids in the district. This becomes a problem.

I know there is an old Long Island thread on this board about so many illegal apartments and how it affects the schools.

How many of these illegal apartments are have the tenants' safety in mind? Is there a fire barrier between ceiling to the above floor? Proper window size if it is a basement...? So safety is an issue with these as well.

At the same time I understand the postion of the LL, 'Just trying to make a living.' Someone on my block is converting their basement into an apartment to be rented. It is not my business and would not report it.

What does get my goat though, my neighbor 2 houses and a side street away did major renovation on his house, he more than doubled the size of it. IT has been complete at least the past 4 years. His taxes are still lower than mine. I guess he never closed the permits and the town has never caught on. Grrr!

[dnalsI gnoL]

You sound jealous.

I'm not advocating avoiding taxes, but the whole point of being a landlord is so that you will have somewhat passive income, so you can not hate on the LL for doing that while making money. So don't call it exploiting and stop complaining about how much others make and use that energy to make something happen for yourself.

[okaydorothy]

As a landlord and almost a former landlord, I cannot wait to get out of this business. I havent made a dime ; yes, the rent has gone straight to the mortgage and I was not making anything above it montlhy. Instead I have paid a fortune in repairs when tenants have left. One tenant left me fleas, fleas and more fleas. that house wouldnt pass a health code because of the tenant ; it was not given to her that way. She had to be evicted at my cost and I had to gut the basement because of her.
Another tenant also ahd to be evicted for non payment of her portion of rent ; it was $128 a month ; ss was paying the rest.

After 7 years of doing this in two houses, 6 tenants ; I have had two that were decent, paid on time and didnt leave any damage. So its not all a matter of collecting money and disappearing. Most landlords are single family homes and do take care of the properties. However, when tenants constantly abuse the property that they agreed to take care of, its a tough business.

[Crookhaven]

Originally Posted by DawnSells

I don't think that it makes a bit of difference what the LL's mortgage is and what the LL is making in profit on the apartment. The issue is the fact that it is illegal and they are dodging taxes. So what some would say. How many of these illegal apartmentd have kids that utilize the schools? What is one, 1 family house is rented out to 2 families, both with kids in the district. This becomes a problem.

I know there is an old Long Island thread on this board about so many illegal apartments and how it affects the schools.

How many of these illegal apartments are have the tenants' safety in mind? Is there a fire barrier between ceiling to the above floor? Proper window size if it is a basement...? So safety is an issue with these as well.

At the same time I understand the postion of the LL, 'Just trying to make a living.' Someone on my block is converting their basement into an apartment to be rented. It is not my business and would not report it.

What does get my goat though, my neighbor 2 houses and a side street away did major renovation on his house, he more than doubled the size of it. IT has been complete at least the past 4 years. His taxes are still lower than mine. I guess he never closed the permits and the town has never caught on. Grrr!

Thats the biggest scam of all.

Happens in Brookhaven all the time. Even worse when they get called in for Code Violations they get the permits and sit on them indefinitely to skate the law.

Mark Leskos QOL task force is a failure without giving the inspectors some teeth.

Crooks

[twingles]

Originally Posted by DawnSells

. His taxes are still lower than mine. I guess he never closed the permits and the town has never caught on. Grrr!

MOst likely, but in the end, it will come back to bite him. Eventually, those permits will need to be closed. And by the time that happens the code will most likely have changed. And the building inspector will make them change all the stuff that was up to code in 2007 to reflect the current code. SO the tax savings goes out the window.

[I_Love_LI_but]

Some people are just shady characters. If you end up with a shady character for a landlord, it stinks. We even had someone with the nerve to come on here and actually ask for tips on how to break the law as a landlord who had the nerve to complain about us when we didn't comply! (This one even wanted advice on how to lie to and "fool" the police ... as if police are stupid!) What's next? Will someone come on here and ask our advice on what is the best store in Nassau or Suffolk to pull an armed robbery on and then complain when we don't help him out?

I would say you are better off renting from a professional organization than a small landlord, but first check their reputation because even some of the professional organizations can be problematic for tenants in terms of not fixing things, playing games with the security deposits, etc. If you are thinking of moving to a professionally managed complex, ask on here to see if anyone has experience with them and how things worked out. Good luck!

[kayfouroh]

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

Some people are just shady characters. If you end up with a shady character for a landlord, it stinks. We even had someone with the nerve to come on here and actually ask for tips on how to break the law as a landlord who had the nerve to complain about us when we didn't comply! (This one even wanted advice on how to lie to and "fool" the police ... as if police are stupid!) What's next? Will someone come on here and ask our advice on what is the best store in Nassau or Suffolk to pull an armed robbery on and then complain when we don't help him out?

I would say you are better off renting from a professional organization than a small landlord, but first check their reputation because even some of the professional organizations can be problematic for tenants in terms of not fixing things, playing games with the security deposits, etc. If you are thinking of moving to a professionally managed complex, ask on here to see if anyone has experience with them and how things worked out. Good luck!

There are shady landlords AND shady tenants. I have had the misfortune of dealing with both




My philosophy is if you are going to do something, do it right the first time. Don't beat around the bush and try to get away with more than you normally could, it will eventually come around and bite you later.

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by DawnSells

I don't think that it makes a bit of difference what the LL's mortgage is and what the LL is making in profit on the apartment. The issue is the fact that it is illegal and they are dodging taxes. So what some would say. How many of these illegal apartmentd have kids that utilize the schools? What is one, 1 family house is rented out to 2 families, both with kids in the district. This becomes a problem.

I know there is an old Long Island thread on this board about so many illegal apartments and how it affects the schools.

How many of these illegal apartments are have the tenants' safety in mind? Is there a fire barrier between ceiling to the above floor? Proper window size if it is a basement...? So safety is an issue with these as well.

At the same time I understand the postion of the LL, 'Just trying to make a living.' Someone on my block is converting their basement into an apartment to be rented. It is not my business and would not report it.

What does get my goat though, my neighbor 2 houses and a side street away did major renovation on his house, he more than doubled the size of it. IT has been complete at least the past 4 years. His taxes are still lower than mine. I guess he never closed the permits and the town has never caught on. Grrr!

Quality of life in a neighborhood is EVERYBODY'S business who lives there.

How are you going to feel if his tenants park in front of your house every night?

How are you going to feel if YOUR property taxes go up because the school district has to hire an extra teacher or two for the new classes his tenants' kids are in?

How are you going to feel if there is a fire and his tenants are trapped in the illegally converted basement and die?

I am glad I live in a Village where they do go after illegal conversions and force them to be dismantled, where there are two hotlines to report kids attending the schools from out of the area, and where there is NO overnight parking allowed on the streets. It's sad that basic quality of life issues have to be regulated and enforced, but so be it when there are shady people always looking to cut corners, freeload on other people's tax payments, and infringe on everyone else's way of life.

[bigstigs]

Originally Posted by dnalsI gnoL

You sound jealous.

I'm not advocating avoiding taxes, but the whole point of being a landlord is so that you will have somewhat passive income, so you can not hate on the LL for doing that while making money. So don't call it exploiting and stop complaining about how much others make and use that energy to make something happen for yourself.

Ugh.