Mike
In the heart of New York City, Sarah Pribis, a content creator and actor, finds herself embroiled in a housing predicament. For a decade, she has called a rent-stabilized apartment in Brooklyn her home, but it appears that her landlord has been actively working to coax her out of her long-standing abode.
In a recent TikTok slideshow that Sarah Pribis shared last week, she exposed a series of WhatsApp messages exchanged between herself and her landlord. These messages often revolve around the landlord’s persistent inquiries about her occupancy status, with him repeatedly asking if she has vacated the apartment or if she’s still residing there. Additionally, he levels accusations at her, alleging that she’s unlawfully subletting the apartment to someone else, a practice that typically requires the landlord’s permission and is illegal without it.
The texts:
“If I was moving out, I would tell you. I’m aware of the rules and wouldn’t want to put my lease at risk.”
Sarah Pribis has revealed that her landlord recently installed a camera in the lobby of her apartment building. This act is within legal bounds in New York City, but it has raised concerns for residents. Pribis also mentioned her consistent use of the 311 customer-service number for non-emergency government services in NYC. However, she views this as a temporary solution, stating that her landlord tends to address issues when prompted by 311 for a short period, only to revert to problematic behavior later.
The motive behind her landlord’s persistent efforts to persuade her to vacate the premises and his cost-cutting measures on building maintenance appears to be rooted in financial gains. If Pribis were to move out, relinquishing her rent-stabilized rate, the landlord could charge the maximum legal limit for monthly rent for the apartment, which exceeds Pribis’s current rent by over $1500.
See the Tiktok here.
