Most of the time when we hear about bankruptcy and the automatic stay, we think of homeowners facing foreclosure. It makes sense given the housing bust a few years ago, and mortgages are often the largest debts New Yorkers have. The automatic stay is clearly designed for their benefit: They can stay in their homes and not worry about foreclosure or other collection efforts. The question is whether the automatic stay affords similar protections to renters in the analogous situation of eviction. The answer depends on how far along the eviction process is.
There are a few steps that need to happen for an eviction to occur. One, the tenant must be behind in his or her payments. Two the landlord must demand the rent, and then it can initiate an eviction proceeding in court. Three, the court must issue the landlord a judgment and it can use the police to execute it. The New York housing code adds its own rules, such as how far behind in rent the tenant can be, but that’s the gist of the process.
As for when the tenant can file bankruptcy for the automatic stay to help, if the bankruptcy petition is filed before the court issues the landlord the final judgment, then the eviction proceeding is stayed by operation of the automatic stay.
However, this doesn’t mean that all is lost if the landlord has the judgment. Sometimes the tenant will have some options. For example, if the lease allows the tenant to cure his or her default on the rent, then he or she might be able to do so within 30 days of filing the petition. As an alternative, the tenant can deposit the money with the bankruptcy court within the same 30-day period. Additionally, bankruptcy does stay the landlord’s collection efforts against the tenant for past unpaid rents.
When it comes to bankruptcy, landlords aren’t like banks that see your non-payments as just a cost of doing business. When things go bad, the process usually becomes highly contentious, which is why hiring an experienced New York bankruptcy lawyer is so important.
For more questions about bankruptcy, the automatic stay, effective strategies for dealing with eviction or foreclosure, and protecting your assets in bankruptcy please feel free to contact experienced Bankruptcy Automatic Stay Bruce Weiner for a free initial consultation.