Nonpayment proceedings
The landlord must show a landlord-tenant relationship, an agreement to pay rent, the amount due, and that the required demand was made in the manner the law requires. Errors in the rent demand — wrong amount, wrong period, improper service — are frequently fatal. Tenants should compare the demand line by line against their own payment records before conceding anything.
Holdover proceedings
Holdovers cover lease expiration, breach of a substantial obligation, nuisance, unauthorized occupants, succession disputes and owner-use claims. Each has its own predicate notice requirements and cure periods. The pleadings must match the notices; a petition alleging grounds the notice never mentioned will not survive scrutiny.
Tenant defenses and counterclaims
Improper service, defective notice, breach of the warranty of habitability, rent overcharge in regulated units, succession rights, retaliation, and failure to register where registration is required. Counterclaims for repairs and rent abatement are ordinary. Photographs, dated repair requests, inspection records and communications with management are the evidence that moves a judge.
Appearing and adjournments
Calendars are heavy and most matters are negotiated in the hallway before reaching the judge. A first adjournment to seek counsel is commonly granted, and tenants should ask for it rather than signing a stipulation they do not understand. Any stipulation you sign is an enforceable agreement — read every line, including what happens if you miss a payment date.