A couple of weeks ago, a tenant of 50 East Third Street complained that her landlord declined to renew her lease as well as those of about 17 neighbors because the building was being sold. “Enough is enough! These are our homes! We pay a fair rent! How much is too much?”, wrote Sue Palachak-Essenpreis, who subsequently formed a tenant’s organization.

Hers was an impassioned argument for renter’s rights, but we’d like to hear the other side of the story: are you a landlord who thinks your profession gets a bad rap? Want to air your frustrations about the business of owning property, maintaining a building, and managing tenants? Agree that rent control is an unfair burden? If you’d like to write about it for The Local, e-mail the editor. We want to publish your story. To get you thinking, here are excerpts from just some of the comments our two stories about 50 East Third Street have received.

Pro-Tenant
“Part of the problem with living in our beloved city these past years is that rent is so high it’s almost impossible to save for a down payment. If she can’t come up with 8k in 60 days to move (which is TOTALLY understandable) why would you think she has $100k in the bank for a down payment?” — NYer

“Life is about more than the market. If the landlord can’t handle tenant push -back he shouldn’t have bought the building. Boohoo to him or her. Wah wah wah.” — Karen

“Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s right. Good for you, for you for standing up for principal and integrity. As a fellow E. Villager- I feel your pain, and stand behind you!” — H.B.

“All of these apartments should be protected by the law. Rent stability is meant to prevent mass evictions like this.” — Reality is Subjective

“The simple fact is that banding together and exerting your legal rights to the maximum (i.e. checking records to confirm your apartment wasn’t illegally deregulated, which happens all the time, or forcing the landlord to commence eviction proceedings rather than vacating voluntarily, which takes at least 6 months and is very expensive) can often get you results you might not be entitled to under the letter of the law. Just like moneyed interests steamroll the legal rights of ordinary citizens on a daily basis simply because it’s too expensive or onerous to fight back, or they don’t know their legal rights.” — Actual Lawyer

Pro-Landlord
“If you don’t like the terms of renting in NY, buy your own place. It is possible to have a mortgage for $2500 a month. No one is entitled to live in which ever hip neighborhood they feel is cool enough for them.” — Boohoo

“This is exactly why the housing courts are so congested. You do NOT own the property. The owner can do whatever they choose with the building. Are they going to raise the rent? You betcha! They’ve given you a two months notice already. It’s your decision to pay the $2500/month rent and not look for something thats more practically should an eviction should occur. You like the idea of living in the east village and being hip? Well so does the landlord who owns it and wants to capitalize on it.” — Micah

“Champagne taste and beer pockets.”— Benny

“Unfortunately, you live in a fair market apartment that is being bought by new landlords. Realistically you have no right to make any demands on what they should be doing with their property they will come to own, hence the building you live in. You are fighting a losing battle.” — RMK

“You signed a lease, when it’s over you must move – that was the deal you made. Why would any other landlord in the City want to rent to someone who won’t follow their contractual agreements. After the court evicts you no landlord would touch you. Hope you enjoy living in Jersey.” — Ummm