Business & Tech
Mineola Chamber Members Receive Lesson in Renting Relationships
Nassau judge gives advice on how to protect landlords from "professional tenants."
Nassau County Court Judge Scott Fairgrieve has some advice for landlords in Mineola.
“Get personal guarantees and don’t wait if people owe you money. And tenants, don’t give personal guarantees and limit them if you have to,” he said in a speech to the Mineola Chamber of Commerce Tuesday night at .
With over 60 Landlord-Tenant cases on his docket each day, Fairgrieve and Nassau County Landlord-Tenant Senior Clerk Brenda Hayden were well equip to advise the Chamber about the ins and outs of Landlord-Tenant relations.
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With the economy is still in a vulnerable state, more residents and businesses choosing to rent than to own, Judge Fairgrieve gave key insight to protecting oneself in a landlord-tenant relationship.
During his speech, Fairgrieve stressed the importance of protection and responsibility, specifically about personal guarantees. As a protective measure, he explained that a commercial landlord should obtain a personal guarantee from the tenant. In case a tenant’s business goes under, the landlord can still obtain payment for the space.
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“If the corporation goes belly-up, bankrupt, or out of business,” he said, “they have somebody to go after.”
While the judge stated landlords should obtain these guarantees, he advises just the opposite for tenants.
Other forms of protection include familiarization with what is stated in the lease, including landlord responsibilities. It is also important to be informed about the people you are renting to and from.
Hayden described cases of “professional tenants” who are continually brought to court every year by different landlords.
“As a landlord why don’t you ask, where have you lived in the last number of years, who was your landlord? Give me the phone number and the address,” Judge Fairgrieve said, advising listeners about hot to protect oneself from these “professional tenants.”
If you happen to be involved in a landlord-tenant case, Fairgrieve says it is imperative to obtain proper representation from either a lawyer or attorney.
