If you have a month-to-month verbal lease, can the landlord raise your rent from $1600 to $2000 with only a little over a month’s notice?

If you have a month-to-month verbal lease, can the landlord raise your rent from $1600 to $2000 with only a little over a month’s notice?

I have been living in a building for over 10 years and we have new owners now. My rent has been $1600 for 10 years. However, the new owners informed me, upon buying the building, that they were going to raise my rent and everyone else’s in the building because we were paying “below market” rates. Then told me that it wouldn’t be be any more than about a $200 raise and I would be given, at least, 3 to 4 months in advance notice. A few days ago, I went into the basement, where the previous owner had allowed to store our personal things, and saw ” mold” and rat droppings all over the place.

Asked on March 24, 2012 under Real Estate Law, New York

Answers:

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