Woods Lonergan Attorney, Andreas E. Christou, Quoted in the New York Times Article, Who to Blame When the Elevators Don’t Work

andreas chistou quoted in NYT article who to blame when elevators dont work

March 8, 2025 – Media Mention in The New York Times

Woods Lonergan attorney, Andreas E. Christou, was quoted in The New York Times “Ask Real Estate” column recently discussing the responsibilities of landlords when elevators are out of service in New York City buildings.

The article, written by reporter Jill Terreri Ramos, addressed a situation where an Upper West Side rental building had only one of three elevators working for an extended period, causing significant inconvenience to tenants.

Mr. Christou, clarified that while tenants might be tempted to withhold rent, this is generally not the correct course of action. “Whatever happens, you are likely not entitled to withhold your rent because of a broken elevator, except in the rare case that your lease guarantees that they remain in service (check to see if it does), or if your apartment becomes unusable,” said Andreas E. Christou, a lawyer at Woods Lonergan PLLC in New York. Withholding rent could leave you open to eviction or lease termination.

The article emphasized that New York City landlords are legally required to maintain working elevators and have an active contract with an approved elevator company. Residents are encouraged to report non-working elevators to 311. The article outlines that Landlords failing to take action will face a lawsuit, and failure to comply will result in additional violations and enforcement action.

Read the full article, Who To Blame When The Elevators Don’t Work in The New York Times. Access may require a subscription.

About Woods Lonergan PLLC:

For over 30 years, Woods Lonergan has been a leader in providing legal guidance and dispute resolution services throughout New York. We focus on Real Estate and Construction law, Cooperative and Condominium Board Governance, and complex commercial and property owner disputes. Our deep knowledge of New York’s property laws and corporate regulations allows us to deliver robust, cost-effective solutions.

Woods Lonergan serves clients throughout the New York metropolitan area, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties. Woods Lonergan is your trusted partner in navigating real estate disputes and corporate governance challenges.

About the Author

Andreas E. Christou is an Associate Attorney at Woods Lonergan, where he represents cooperative and condominium boards across the New York metro area. He counsels boards on day-to-day governance and litigates on their behalf in state and federal court, from arrears and lien foreclosures to the defense of board decisions on appeal. Before joining the firm in 2020, he litigated real estate and commercial matters in state and federal court. His practice covers governance counsel, annual meetings, proxies, and voting procedure, proprietary leases, bylaws, and house rules, purchase applications and transfers, alteration agreements, refinancing and capital improvement financing, and sponsor and offering plan enforcement. He handles construction defect and §881 access claims, arrears, lien foreclosures, and lease terminations, election challenges, and disputes with unit owners, shareholders, contractors, and vendors. Andreas has been named to the Super Lawyers Rising Stars list each year from 2022 through 2026, and his commentary on co-op and condo questions appears regularly in The New York Times “Ask Real Estate” column. Woods Lonergan is ranked by Chambers USA Spotlight New York 2026 for Real Estate and Litigation: General Commercial. He is admitted in New York and New Jersey and in the federal courts for the Southern, Eastern, and Northern Districts of New York and the District of New Jersey. He is fluent in Greek and active in New York’s Greek American community.