Table of Contents
General advice for tenants in crisis
Landlords all across the city treat tenants badly: they refuse to make repairs, they lie to push tenants out, they raise the rents. To stop these problems, we need to build a strong movement. We can’t do that by providing a lot of one-on-one help to people facing these issues.
If your landlord is treating everyone in your building badly, and you are interested in fighting back together, we encourage you to join the union and form a tenants’ association.
If your problem is more individual, we may not be able to help you very much except for by giving the information on this website. Here is some general advice:
- Don’t let your landlord pressure you to make decisions quickly. You NEVER have to sign something you don’t understand. Tell them, “I am under no legal obligation to sign this and I need time to learn my rights and get advice.”
- Communicate with your landlord only in writing–by email, letter (that you take pictures of), or text. They may lie to you in a conversation, but they are less likely to lie to you in writing. You want to have proof of what they told you.
I'm facing eviction
The eviction process can be long and complicated, but some kinds of eviction paperwork need to be responded to very quickly. Here are resources where there are workshops specifically about the eviction process:
The most important thing to know is that if you get a Summons & Complaint, you need to file an answer within five days. If you don’t, you can automatically lose your case.
The most important thing to know is that if you get a Summons & Complaint, you need to file an answer within five days. If you don’t, you can automatically lose your case.
