Tenant Passed Away - Wife And Mother Fighting Over Right To Enter His Apartment [nyc]
My tenant moved in 5/23 and lease expired 5/24. Since then, we’ve been doing month to month. He has been sick so the wife (separated but not legally she still cares after him she lives in Delaware but she comes to NY to care for him when he’s sick) been taking care of his missed payments/ utility bills and she’s been the one in contact with me for the past year and half. She just notified me that he passed away two days ago. Yesterday she asked if she can change the locks because she lost her keys and she need to go in and get some clothing for his burial. I told her I can give her a spare no need to change locks. Then today I received a phone call from my tenant’s “brother” that the wife is not allowed in there and his mother is on the lease with my tenant (which is not true I have the original copies that my tenant is the only person on the lease). And he claims the mother is currently living in there. I asked for proof and he sent me a copy of our signed lease but he added the mother’s name onto the lease on his end. I have never met/heard of this mother and brother. And he sent a bank mail joint account with both my tenant and the mother’s name as proof. Just now he just sent an email demanding we deny the wife to access the apartment. Also, my tenant paid rent until February before he passed away. What are my rights as a tenant? What do I do with the mother (is she trying to squat?)
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