Breach of Lease as a Cause of Action in New York

When one party fails to meet the obligations set out in a lease agreement, the other party may bring a legal claim for breach of lease. This cause of action is common in landlord-tenant disputes, as well as in commercial leasing arrangements. In New York, to succeed on a breach of lease claim, a plaintiff must prove four main elements. These requirements help the court determine whether a valid lease was broken and whether damages should be awarded.

Existence of a Valid Lease

The first element requires the plaintiff to show that there was a valid lease between the parties. A lease is a binding contract that spells out the terms under which the tenant can occupy the property. It can be written or, in some limited cases, oral, as long as the basic terms are clear. The lease must identify the property, the length of the lease term, and the agreed-upon obligations, such as rent and maintenance duties.

Without a valid lease, there is no foundation for a breach claim. The court must be able to confirm that both parties agreed to the terms and that the lease was in effect when the alleged breach occurred.

Performance by the Plaintiff

Next, the plaintiff must show that they fulfilled their own obligations under the lease. This means the plaintiff did what they were supposed to do, such as providing access to the property, maintaining the premises if required, or paying rent, depending on whether the plaintiff is the tenant or landlord. A party cannot claim breach of lease if they themselves failed to perform their duties under the agreement.

Proof of performance helps establish that the plaintiff was not the cause of the dispute and acted according to the lease terms.

Defendant’s Failure to Perform

The third element is that the defendant failed to meet their lease obligations. This could involve not paying rent, damaging the property, leaving before the lease term ended, or violating specific terms of the lease, such as subletting without permission. The plaintiff must identify the part of the lease that was broken and show how the defendant failed to meet that obligation.

The breach must be substantial enough to justify legal action. Minor or technical violations that do not cause harm may not qualify.

Resulting Damages

Finally, the plaintiff must show that they suffered damages because of the defendant’s failure to perform. This could include lost rent, repair costs, legal fees, or other financial losses directly caused by the breach. The plaintiff must link the defendant’s conduct to specific, measurable harm.

Conclusion

A breach of lease claim in New York requires clear evidence that a valid lease existed, the plaintiff met their duties, the defendant failed to meet theirs, and that this failure caused real damage. This cause of action provides a structured way for courts to resolve disputes over lease agreements and ensure that parties are held accountable when they do not honor their contractual promises. Whether residential or commercial, lease agreements are binding, and this legal claim helps enforce them.

Find the Law

To establish a prima facie case of breach of lease the plaintiff must demonstrate the existence of a valid lease between plaintiff and defendants, performance by plaintiff, defendants’ failure to perform and that damages resulted from such failure to perform. Noise in the Attic Productions, Inc. v London Records, 10 AD3d 303.” 575 FIRST AVE. v. BRD. OF MGRS. OF KIPS BAY TOWERS, 2011 N.Y. Slip Op. 31895, 6 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2011)