The other side of the rental moratorium [View all]

[no_hypocrisy]

Last edited Mon Aug 2, 2021, 09:33 AM - Edit history (1)

I live in NJ in a rental unit. I've been fortunate to have been employed during the Pandemic and Moratorium. I paid my rent on time in full every month.

OTOH, since March of last year, the unit under me has not paid anything despite the residents also being employed. They just used the Pandemic as an excuse not to pay rent. (I'm certain of these facts as I personally know them.)

Not only is our landlord getting stiffed $1,300 (cheap rent by comparison to other local units) per month for almost 18 months, but NJ has extended the Moratorium to January, 2022. And to boot, our landlord received a call from a second prospective landlord in another city as to the reliability of the people downstairs to pay rent. IOW, they plan to move out without paying back any of the rent owed, despite the mandates that their rent is still expected to be paid at a later date. And without a forwarding address. Plus he won't be able to track them down as they never returned the Lease to him.

As of today, they owe $22,000+ to our landlord. His mortgage and municipal tax obligations are not in abeyance like rent for the Moratorium. He is struggling to hold onto the property. This is not a big rental house, only four modest units. He still has to pay for maintenance and repairs. (If our roof needed repair or replacement, he wouldn't have the money to pay the contractors.)

AND the LL is paying for their water usage for 3-4 people who are living free in his rental unit.

My question is how can landlords expect to be paid in full (with or without interest) when the universal tabs will be in excess of $25,000?

Disclaimer: I am not a relative or friend of the landlord. Just another tenant.