Nonpayment Proceeding

What it means

A court case a landlord files when rent has not been paid. Before going to court, the landlord must send a 14-day written rent demand that says exactly how much is owed and when. If the landlord did not send this in writing — or said it out loud only — the case can be thrown out. The landlord also has to send a separate reminder notice by certified mail if rent is more than 5 days late. Once filed, the tenant has 10 days to answer. At any time before the eviction, paying everything owed usually ends the case — this is called pay and stay.

When you might hear this

You hear this when a landlord is trying to evict for unpaid rent. It is the most common kind of housing court case in New York. Before it can be filed, the landlord has to send a written rent demand.

What to ask