Out-Of-Possession Landlord Liability Criteria Explained
The Third Department determined an out-of-possession landlord was not liable to an employee of the tenant who slipped and fell on a loose stair tread. Neither the terms of the lease nor a course of conduct rendered the out-of-possession landlord responsible for repairing the condition. The Third Department explained the relevant analytical criteria:
“Generally, ‘an out-of-possession landlord who relinquishes control of the premises is not liable to employees of a lessee for personal injuries caused by an unsafe condition existing on the premises'” … . “‘Exceptions to this rule include situations where the landlord retains control of the premises, has specifically contracted to repair or maintain the property, has through a course of conduct assumed a responsibility to maintain or repair the property or has affirmatively created a dangerous condition'” … . Whittington v Champlain Ctr N LLC, 2014 NY Slip Op 08691, 3rd Dept 12-11-14