Hard to decide,help!!!?

me and my roommate lived in the shitty building in harlem ny for almost year. our lease ending the end of july.
we had really ugly and disresponsible company manage our building,no one fix our mailbox,no one fix our leaking sink,we don't have super in the building,anything ugly you can think about. so we absolutly moving out this month.
we trying to let lardlord keep security deposit as last month rent since we know it's hard to get it back because he is a slumlord for sure,even the apt is in completely rentable condition. but the slumlord called us in an ugly accent and sent us email said if we failed to pay before monday he will commence legal action against both of us and our guarantor Once legal is commenced it will stay on both our SSN for the next 20 years.(can he do that?)
we were awesome tentants,we never failed to pay rent on time,but should we pay that slumlord while he is harassing us, or if anybody has any idea? plz help!

they said SD could be the last month rent before we finally signed lease last year. now they telling us no since we moving out. but it's ont on the paper.
we promised them the apt will be in rentable condition and if anything we have to pay when they doing inspection, we will,my roommate talked to them already,they were ok,now the slumlord said no,wtf.
becides the harassment,he was really not responsible the whole time we lived there.have u ever experience bad management for your apt?

1. Any action commenced will stay on yourcredit record for 6 years, then it's dropped.

2. IF HE WINS, a judgement is good for 20 years, but it still drops off your record after 6 years in most jurisdictions.

3. If he loses, that fact must be recorded. If you pay off, that must also be recorded on the credit record - in either case, there will be no effect on your credit.

4. (This is the best part) - He's UNLIKELY TO WIN, unless you trashed the place. The Judge will see that you used the money to pay the last month and won't have you pay twice.


When you move out, make sure the place looks good and TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES in case the landlord comes in and messes up the place after you're gone.

you can't use security deposit as rent unless "ok'd" by your landlord, in this case, he's saying no. nothing more you can do. security deposits are for repais (if any) you made during your residence there when you move, not for rent.

just pay the rent then get your security deposit when you move, thats your only option.

if he sues or whatever, countersue him for harrasment
egg his car or something
and i don't think you should pay