A class action suit filed yesterday in New York State Supreme Court alleges that the “New York Landlord-Tenant Law” book, commonly known as the “Tanbook,” published by Matthew Bender, a division of LexisNexis, contains numerous omissions and inaccuracies rendering it completely unreliable to its purchasers. The book, currently selling for $120.00, is widely used by numerous attorneys, judges, tenant advocates and real estate professionals as a ready source covering virtually all of the laws and regulations affecting landlord/tenant matters in New york.
The plaintiff in the suit is Himmelstein, McConnell, Gribben, Donoghue & Joseph, LLP, a New York City tenant law firm that purchased multiple copies of the book over the past six years.
The suit alleges that a review of the Tanbook’s publication of the New York City Rent Stabilization Law, the Rent Control Law and the regulations implementing them found over 37 omissions and eight inaccuracies of key provisions affecting tens of thousands of New York City tenants on issues including: the Senior Citizen Rent increase Exemption (“SCRIE”), the Disabled Rent increase Exemption (“DRIE”), vacancy decontrol and high rent decontrol. The suit further alleges that these errors and omissions in the Tanbook have existed for at least six years and involve thousands of books.
The suit seeks a judgment refunding all Tanbook customers for purchases made during the past six years. The plaintiff and the proposed class are represented by James B. Fishman and Kenneth Rosenfeld of FishmanLaw Group,PLLC.
James Fishman, a member of FishmanLaw Group,PLLC said. “Practitioners and judges throughout New York have long relied on the Tanbook as a complete and authoritative source of Landlord/Tenant law. It is extremely troubling to learn that reliance is misplaced and in such a significant way.”