Learn to be a Landlord

Did you know that Suffolk County has an entire Chapter of Laws concerning the rental of property?

These laws regulate such things as the minimum terms of a written lease (1 year unless waived by the tenant); requirements if the property is in foreclosure (notice to tenants within 5 days of service); social service recipients (landlords data collected by DSS) and criminal (misdemeanors) and civil penalties (3x actual damages).

The key is to remember that multiple levels of government may regulate the same thing, a landlord must look not only to their Town or Village for laws, but also to their County, State and Federal Government for the laws to make money without violation.

Keep posted to www.liebatlaw.com & this blog to learn when our first continuing education class on the Long Island Landlord will be offered.

Assistance Available to "Green" Homeowners of Long Island

The Federal Government is now rewarding those homeowners on Long Island who choose to “go green” by offering assistance in the form of low-cost loans for energy-efficient home improvements. The pilot federal program, PowerSaver, will provide loans of up to $25,000.00 at low interest rates during its two-year pilot period. In addition, The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will offer local assistance of up to $13,000.00 for similar renovations. The Town of Islip will open its office in Bay Shore shortly to assist local-area homeowners apply for loans. Be on the look-out for the announcement next week of its opening date.

Underground Oil Tank Test - EZY3 Locator Plus Test

There has been a recent discussion among some local attorneys about the validity of and mechanism of an EZY3 Locator Plus Test. Knowing what I don't know, I asked Matt Kaplan of Housemaster, who teaches home inspections at our real estate school to explain.

Here is his response:

EZY 3 Locator Plus is not new technology (10 years). It uses ultrasound to scan the ullage (empty) area of a tank and is generally used in conjunction with other testing devices, such as low pressure volumetric testing equipment. The testing model described below is completely inaccurate based on several levels.

For example, air intrusion is not a physical condition considered during a tank test. Pressure may be introduced to a bulk storage facility and monitored for changes in pressure, but there is no condition for 'sucking' or release determined during that testing cycle.

Petroleum bulk storage (PBS) testing is regulated within specific guidelines established by regulatory authorities. The simplistic language referred to below actually creates a question of liability based on misinformation.

Your client would be served better by understanding the nature surrounding petrochemical pollution and appropriate regulations.

Specially, Matt was addressing the attorneys statement that: "test appears to be the suggested step up insofar as testing from traditional soil sampling, but not sure that it actually applies "pressure" or the like. It seems, unlike an air pressure test of years back (blowing air INTO the tank to check for leakage of air out of it), the below may be a slight vacuum of air OUT of thetank, then seeking to determine if air is being sucked INTO the tank- thus holes for leakage."

I hope you now understand the EZY3 Locator Plus Test.