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DEFENDANT OUT-OF-POSSESSION LANDLORD WAS NOT OBLIGATED BY THE LEASE OR ANY STATUTE TO REPAIR THE FLOOR OF A WALK-IN FREEZER IN THE LEASED PREMISES; PLAINTIFF ALLEGED DENTS IN THE METAL FLOOR CAUSED HIS LADDER TO FALL OVER; THE LANDLORD’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant out-of-possession landlord’s motion for summary judgment in this ladder fall case should have been granted. Plaintiff alleged dents in a metal freezer floor caused his A-frame ladder to fall over:

“An out-of-possession landlord is not liable for injuries that occur on its premises unless the landlord has retained control over the premises and has a ‘duty imposed by statute or assumed by contract or a course of conduct'” … . Here, the defendants established, prima facie, that they were out-of-possession landlords which were not bound by contract or course of conduct to repair the allegedly dangerous condition. The plaintiff did not allege that dents in the floor of the walk-in freezer violated any statutes, and therefore the defendants were not obligated to disprove that they had a duty imposed by statute to repair the complained-of condition as part of their prima facie burden … .. Contrary to the plaintiff’s contention, the defendants adequately authenticated that the lease agreement submitted in support of their motion was in effect at the time of the accident … . Lopez v Mattone Group Raceway, LLC, 2022 NY Slip Op 01779, Second Dept 3-16-22

Practice Point: Here the lease did not require the out-of-possession landlord to maintain the leased premises and there was no statute imposing a duty to maintain the premises on the landlord. Therefore the out-of-possession landlord was not liable for dents in the walk-in freezer’s floor (in the leased premises) which allegedly caused plaintiff’s ladder to fall.

 

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