Graf v. Miller

202 Misc. 887, 120 N.Y.S.2d 154, 1952 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2271
CourtCity of New York Municipal Court
DecidedSeptember 26, 1952
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 202 Misc. 887 (Graf v. Miller) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering City of New York Municipal Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Graf v. Miller, 202 Misc. 887, 120 N.Y.S.2d 154, 1952 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2271 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1952).

Opinion

Morris, J.

This is a nonpayment proceeding in which the landlord is suing for two months’ rent at $83 per month, payable monthly in advance on the 1st day of each month for the use and occupation of the premises. The tenant denies any [888]*888agreement to pay $83 per month for rent but admits an agreement to pay $74 per month. The facts insofar as being germane to the issues involved are as follows: The tenant and landlord made an agreement prior to August 31, 1952, to the effect that the tenant was to pay $74 per month for the premises with the understanding that the tenant might vacate the premises at any time. Prior to the trial of this proceeding and by order dated July 25, 1952, the local rent administrator increased the maximum rent from $83 to $85. Later and by order of the local rent administrator dated August 22, 1952, the maximum rent was reduced from $85 to $83 per month. The tenant received a copy of the order of July 25th prior to August 1, 1952.

The tenant’s contention is that she is a monthly tenant for a calendar month; that the landlord was obliged as prescribed by section 232-a of the Eeal Property Law to serve a notice at least thirty days prior to the last day of the month notifying the tenant of said increase and demanding payment and that the landlord served no such notice. The tenant relies on Acierno v. Kutchuk (196 Misc. 514). This case holds that the order of the Housing Expediter dated June 22, 1949, cannot be given retroactive effect since no thirty days ’ notice of increase was given the tenant and cites A & S Constr. Co. v. Brock (201 App. Div. 584 [decided June 9, 1922]). A & S Constr. Co. v. Brock holds that a construction of chapter 209 of the Laws of 1920 and sections 5 and 6 of chapter 944 of the Laws of 1920 leads to the conclusion that a tenant whose possession is protected by the September rent laws of 1920 cannot be removed in any manner even by increase in rent without thirty days’ notice. The decision in the A & S Construction case (supra) was based on the language of chapter 209 of the Laws of 1920, and as stated at page 585: “ that the tenant should not be removed ‘ from any lands or buildings ’ unless a thirty days’ notice of his intention to terminate the tenancy was given by the landlord in the manner therein prescribed. As a consequence of these laws a monthly tenant or a tenant from month to month was secure in the possession of the premises for another month unless he received thirty days’ notice to quit.” A case sometimes referred to by attorneys for tenants as to the necessity of serving a thirty days’ notice is Earl Holding Corp. v. Glicker (199 Misc. 223). In that case for a period of seventeen months the landlord permitted the tenant to remain in possession of business space without demanding payment [889]*889of accrued rent. The court held that the landlord was properly awarded possession based on nonpayment of rent for the 17th month only in view of the fact that the landlord having elected to renew the monthly tenancy at the beginning of any month, it could not dispossess for nonpayment of rent for a prior month. The Earl Holding Corporation case (supra) cites Printerion-Realty Corp. v. Fischer-Partelow, Inc. (167 Misc. 452). In the Printerion case the tenant was originally a tenant under a five-year lease. That lease was extended for one year. Before the expiration of the one-year lease the landlord elected to make the tenant a monthly tenant at the same monthly rental as under the lease. The court held in view of the above facts that dispossession could only be had for default in payment of rent due under the monthly tenancy.

In Riggs v. Palmer (115 N. Y. 506, 509) the Court of Appeals made the well-known statement, which is particularly applicable here: “ It is a familiar canon of construction that a thing which is within the intention of the makers of a statute is as much within the statute as if it were within the letter; and a thing which is within the letter of the statute is not within the statute unless it be within the intention of the makers. The writers of laws do not always express their intention perfectly, but either exceed it or fall short of it, so that judges are to collect it from probable or rational conjectures only, and this is called rational interpretation.” As stated in Chittenden Lumber Co. v. Silberblatt & Lasker, Inc. (288 N. Y. 396, 402), “ In construing a statute ‘ Adherence to the letter will not be suffered to “ defeat the general purpose and manifest policy intended to be promoted.” ’ [Citing cases].” And at page 403, ‘ Here * * * * we view the parts of the statute without reference to verbal niceties, but rather in their logical relation as means directed to an end.’ ”

Perhaps we may assume that a Justice of the Municipal Court may attempt to rationally interpret chapter 250 of the Laws of 1950 and the amendments thereto and the rules and regulations adopted by the Bent Administrator as they apply to residences. Under the rent statutes of 1920 as they applied to residential property a landlord might increase a tenant’s rent by serving a thirty days ’ notice. Under the present rent statutes and the rules and regulations of the Bent Administrator the rent, even where a written lease is in existence may be decreased by an order of the local rent administrator. Under the present statutes, where the landlord is required to register his property, [890]*890the Bent Administrator determines on application of the tenant or the landlord, whether the rent should be reduced or increased. We have the distinction under present law of controlled and decontrolled property which did not exist under the statutes of 1920. Every question of increase or decrease in rent may be resolved by the Bent Administrator where the statute or the rules and regulations give him control. No landlord today may, upon a thirty days’ notice from him, increase a tenant’s rent. Attempting to rationally interpret chapter 250 of the Laws of 1950 and its amendments, the rules and regulations adopted by the Bent Administrator in the light of the decision in Stern v. Equitable Trust Co. (238 N. Y. 267, decided May 20, 1924), the court is of the opinion that: Whether a tenant is an occupant under a written lease or a tenant for a year under an oral lease or a tenant for a month, or a monthly tenant, when his term expires he becomes a statutory tenant. In this court’s opinion a careful reading of Stern v. Equitable Trust Co. (supra), the existing rent laws and the rules and regulations can lead to no other rational conclusion.

The increase in the instant case was not made by the landlord. The increase was the result of power conferred by the Legislature by statute upon the Bent Administrator. The increase in the maximum rent was made by an order by virtue of an existing statute. The court is bound by the order, the landlord is bound by the order and certainly the tenant is bound by the order received prior to August 1, 1952. She had notice of the hearing, attended the hearing and received notice of the increase before the August 1, 1952, rent became due. Under the statute the maximum rent was fixed as of July 25, 1952. The tenant had her remedy under the statute. She could have appealed from the order or moved out before August 1, 1952.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

1400 Broadway Associates v. Henry Lee & Co. of NY, Inc.
161 Misc. 2d 497 (Civil Court of the City of New York, 1994)
Katz v. Grifa
156 Misc. 2d 203 (Civil Court of the City of New York, 1992)
Stribula v. Wien
107 Misc. 2d 114 (Appellate Terms of the Supreme Court of New York, 1980)
Wager v. Haberman
85 Misc. 2d 314 (New York Supreme Court, 1975)
Finkelstein v. Foley
204 Misc. 476 (City of New York Municipal Court, 1953)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
202 Misc. 887, 120 N.Y.S.2d 154, 1952 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2271, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/graf-v-miller-nynyccityct-1952.