I have a tenant that has been renting for 12 years but has no lease and for the last 3 months he has been playing games with rent payment. He has not paid his January rent and it is now the end of the month. I called he said its in the mail. The apt is in LI NY and I live in Pa. I had to evict his sister inlaw and since then he has been late and had an attitude. I pay all utilities except electric... they are fuel oil , gas for cooking , water and sewage. I want to send him a vacate notice is there a legal form or just a letter. Also can I turn off the water and gas for cooking. I can't turn off heat due to freezing and I am sure that would probably be against the law. Thank you for your advice. Is a month notice enough or can I give less with no lease?

By law, it is against the law to disconnect any of the utilities, including but not limited to cold water, electric, gas.. to any apartment regardless of what the tenant owes. You have to file papers in Housing Court after you send a certified letter to the client giving him/her a breakdown of all arrears including any and all late fees listed on his/her lease. Go to your local bookstore and get a copy of The Tenant;s Rights in NYC by Sember-McWorter or it may be McWorter-Sember. They have also published a book for the landlords named Landlord's Rights in NYC. They are both very helpful with explainations of the various laws and they include the forms you need. Just make s copy, fill it out and you are ready. Each book is about $21.00 but well worth it. Go onto eBay or Amazon and you may find them cheaper. Good Luck

Landlord like you ****ing suck. This guy paid you for 12 years and now he's late and you would freeze him to death if you could. Suck a big one you deserve it.