UPDATED July 27, 2021: A Hamptons Bay homeowner claims in court that her tenant — a real estate agent — is abusing coronavirus eviction protections and refusing to leave, according to the New York Post.
Genya Markon, a 78-year-old who lives primarily in Israel, planned to summer in the Hamptons but arrived to find tenant Julie Rinke had stayed past the expiration of her lease.
Rinke moved in a year ago and— despite a sizzling hot real estate market — claimed financial hardship, which for now protects her from eviction. The state’s eviction moratorium is not set to expire until Aug. 31.
Markon’s suit alleges that Rinke is “conducting herself in a bad faith, dishonest and manipulative way,” and exploiting those protections to stay in the home.
Legal filings and online profiles identify Rinke as a Century 21 agent, but a company spokesperson said Rinke is now with American Homes and claimed that American Homes became unaffiliated with Century 21 earlier this year. However, a press release in April portrayed Century 21 American Homes as a single entity.
Century 21 American Homes still has a web page for Rinke along with her phone number. She did not return a call from The Real Deal.
It’s not the first time an East End landlord has accused a tenant of abusing the moratorium.
A Southampton landlord said his tenants won’t leave his $10,000-per-month rental following the property’s sale.
Last year, a Montauk couple twice sued their tenant, a social media influencer, to get her out of their rental. And developer Marco Ricotta and girlfriend Jodine Russo, a real estate agent, were accused of squatting in Westhampton Beach.
[NYP] — Dennis Lynch
This story has been updated to include more details about Julie Rinke’s brokerage affiliation.