Rafolin Construction Corp. v. Lippman

OPINION OF THE COURT

Ira B. Harkavy, J.

In keeping with the existing social realities of the 1980’s, the courts have increasingly addressed the issue of the rights of unmarried occupants of apartments who reside together. This case presents the novel issue of whether an occupant, whose name does not appear on the lease, may lawfully remain in the apartment he was sharing after the person named in the lease, who solely executed the lease, vacated the premises.

The facts are as follows: the respondents, although never married, lived together in various apartments at the subject premises 65-15 38th…