An expunged criminal conviction is treated (at least in theory) as if it never happened. An individual who has received an expungement is given the benefit of first time offender status, and the prior conviction should not show up on any private background checks or criminal record searches. A conditional sealing is a more limited remedy. Under New York law, sealing means that the record of the conviction will still exist, but it will not be made available to any person or private agency (except under limited circumstances).

The rent stabilization law makes it very difficult for a landlord to evict tenants in rent stabilized or rent regulated units. There are exceptions to the rule, but if your new owner is seeking to make a profit off his or her new purchase, and that’s the likelihood, then it is equally likely that no exception applies. If no exception applies, and you are safeguarded by the robust protections of New York City’s Rent Stabilization Law, you have a very valuable commodity. If you recognize that knock on the door as an opportunity, as an invitation to negotiate, you should also recognize that you have a lot of, if not all of, the leverage in the negotiation to come. A lot of leverage means that you should not take the first offer conveyed upon that knock on your door. Instead, you should endeavor to determine what the unit is worth both on the open market and to your new landlord.

“BFK helped me get charges off my record. Without their help I never would have been able to get a job coaching. BFK was easy to work with and I would highly recommend contacting them if you’re looking to clear your record.”

“When I looked into what was required to help clear my record for drug charges, I knew I needed help. BFK took charge, ensured the documentation was properly filed and confirmed my record was cleared with the multitude of records agencies. They explained the process, handled all the steps beside my signatures, and made me feel at ease the whole way. Couldn’t – and wouldn’t – have done it without them.”