I don't get why you're so angry.

You can't just up and move into a unit and start doing all kinds of renovations to it and then tell the owner 'oh, by the way, I moved in and remodeled...'.

Maybe he wanted more rent for the unit you took over. Maybe he had the place already leased out to someone else and by you moving in he had to cancel the other lease (which could cause him a lot of grief and land him in court). Maybe he had plans to do improvements or repairs while it was vacant. Who knows, there could be all kinds of reasons why he's upset, but the bottom line is you need to remember that this property is owned by someone else and it's their right to do with the vacated unit as they please. You had no right (nor was it legal) to simply swap units unannounced and without agreement.

LLs/owners have leases with occupants. Binding contracts with conditions including assigning a specific tenant to a specific unit. Breaking the conditions of a lease can and often does land parties in court. So you broke your contract (by moving out of your unit without notice) and basically encroached on a different unit by simply taking over without advance agreement. Just because you know someone who moves out of a place doesn't mean it's up for grabs and you can take over. It simply does not work that way.

As far as not taking cash, nothing wrong with that. It's a way to track payments made and have it recorded through a bank. Highly doubtful there is some scheme.

But would recommend you be on your best behavior now. Don't make any further alterations to his property without his express consent. Do pay on time. And lay low. The guy did you a huge favor by letting you stay, legally he could feasibly have evicted you from the premises altogether.

Sorry if this comes across as harsh, but you really crossed a line that you should not have.

My sister's name was on the lease and well remain there as long as i'm living here or until she tells the owner she is moving, and that well not be anytime soon, so there isn't any other person the landlord had in mind to move in, also there are many apts in my building that has no one living it, atleast 2-6, counting the one few months ago when a old lady died due to some kind of desease and had her dog ate her face off because of hunger. The building is run down , theres druggies smoking/doping up at the stair roof, the neighborhood is full of gangs, i highly doubt anyone signed a lease for the apt, and we only changed the floor tiles and panted because if you had seen it you would throw up, the bathroom wall were contaminated and looked like roaches has been sh*tting in it for years.

As for the more money rent thing, they already added more money last month for EVERY apt that has people living there.

The point is the property belongs to the owners, and if you want to make changes, you have to check it out first with them. It's THEIR place, you are just renting, and have no right to make those kind of changes with no permission.

My sister's name was on the lease and well remain there as long as i'm living here or until she tells the owner she is moving, and that well not be anytime soon,

Who holds the lease? Your sister?

I'm asking because it matters. You might not be as protected as you think.

Wow.

What are the laws like where you live? What does the lease say?

Mine restricts anyone over 18 from living in a unit unless they're on the lease. If your sister lived here, allowing you (or anyone else) to move in would be a clear violation of the lease agreement. I'd be glad the landlord was letting me stay. What's the aversion to paying with checks? I'd rather pay with a check or money order if I couldn't set up an electronic payment. Paper trails are a good thing when dealing with landlords.

" Is he trying to set up a scheme to kick me out?"

He is trying to establish a paper trail. What happened to the apartment that you were renting? You had a lease on it I assume. Now it is empty. The LL now has one empty apartment that is not generating any income, due to the fact that your sister moved out while she was on a lease.

I cannot read the LL's mind, or predict what his next move will be, but you should have a back up plan in place. I don't believe your sister will get her SD back since she broke her lease by moving out. (I am assuming there is a 'no sublet' clause in the lease like most.)

You should sit down with the LL and get your new place in writing. Get something in writing that cancels the lease you had on your former unit in order to protect you, and sign a new lease for the unit you are currently occupying. This protects you and give you the right to occupy the new unit. You want to cancel your old lease. Think about it...... what if another tenant decided to move into your old apartment and instead of improving it they trashed it? You name is still on the lease.

So yes, he might be trying to set something up to kick you out. If you talk to him like the way you write in your post I would find it understandable.

no offense but you really need to watch your language some

If I owned it, I would not only have thrown you out, but taken you too court...I hope your landlord is considering it......you don't deserve too live there

I have been the super of a six family building for more than ten years. when i first took the job i was giving an apartment with less rent. when the owner sold his part to the new owner that owner made an agreement for me to move in the basement so that he could make more money and i would get an income of one hundred and fifty monthly with no rent to pay. During these years the owners had played back in forth with the banks and new friends owners. I continue to work doing my duty as a super chasing people out of hallways, painting, keeping the curb clean. so that the building do not get any tickets and much more. I did not get paid for a few months while they went on moving names off the deed of the building avoiding whatever they were avoiding. Now its a new owner with the old owner under new inc. and they just came and told me to move. I do not think that is right, i do not even have papers stating that i was working with them and any place that i have put an application in is looking like you need something some proof. what do i do wait to the marshalls or court or what? remind you every tenant that was in the building was paid five thousand each to get out so that they do not have to have the same rent regulations as the building were in before and that was not a court issue. Here i have been a body guard to the building spending and cleaning and they did not offer me a cent or a place to go. Loyalty was never in them. Its about that green.oh I am in NYC.