Attorney Derek Reed was recently featured in an NJ.com article titled, “Unable to evict tenants, some N.J. landlords sue them instead” on May 16, 2021. He said that the COVID-19 pandemic has created rent issues for both tenants and landlords.
Attorney Reed said to NJ.com:
“Larger landlords have seen 15, 30 percent reduction in rent. But if you’re renting out a duplex and you live on one side, (and) the tenant that you rent to on your other side stops paying rent — that’s 100 percent loss of revenue.”
The New Jersey’s eviction moratorium protects tenants—who are unable to pay rent—from being forced out of their homes. However, landlords have started suing their tenants to recover unpaid rent.
Landlords generally rely on eviction proceedings to recover unpaid rent. But since the eviction courts are currently not hearing cases, more civil lawsuits have been filed and such action does not violate the moratorium.
Attorney Reed calls such lawsuits an act of “desperation.”
He said:
“Nobody wants to have to chase money that’s owed to them. Nobody.”
According to Gov. Murphy’s March 2020 executive order, the eviction moratorium is scheduled to end “no longer than” two (2) months after the COVID-19 state of emergency is over. In a press release on May 14, 2021, he announced that the state of emergency would be allowed to expire next month, which means the end of the moratorium would end as soon as August.
Attorney Reed has extensive experience in complex commercial and real estate litigation, including landlord/tenant issues. He is also a board member and spokesman of the New Jersey Property Owners Association.
If you are facing a landlord and tenant legal dispute in Newark, contact Ehrlich, Petriello, Gudin, Plaza & Reed P.C., Attorneys at Law today at (973) 828-0203 to learn how our firm can protect your rights and best interests.
