Commercial landlords don't get the procedural slowdowns that come with residential tenancies when the goal is the money. Unpaid rent, additional rent (taxes, CAM, utilities), and lease damages are a debt — and a debt can be reduced to a judgment and collected, in or out of possession.
1. Demand. A clear written demand often gets a paying tenant — or a guarantor — to settle. Banksy drafts it free; an attorney can send it on firm letterhead for $99.
2. Sue for a money judgment. If the demand is ignored, we pursue the unpaid rent and lease damages in court. A commercial lease usually spells out what's owed, which makes the claim clean.
3. Enforce it. Once you have a judgment, New York's CPLR Article 52 toolkit kicks in — information subpoenas to find assets, restraining notices and bank levies, and income executions — carried out by a marshal or sheriff.
The lease (and any guaranty), the rent ledger or statement of what's owed, any notices already sent, and what you know about the tenant's or guarantor's assets. Even a single bank or business address gives us a place to start.
Yes — unpaid rent and lease damages can be reduced to a money judgment whether or not the tenant is still in possession, and a New York judgment is enforceable for 20 years.
You can pursue the individual guarantor's own assets in addition to the business, which usually makes collection far more effective.
Free demand letter; $99 attorney review & send; full collection on contingency — no attorney fee unless we collect. Court and enforcement costs may still apply and are explained in your engagement agreement.