My Landlord Claims The Old Landlord Spent All Of Our Security Deposits On Legal Fees. Any Advice On Where I Could Go To Get Help With This? (nyc/bk)

Hey everyone

So that's the deal. It's a little complicated but also not.

I moved into my place in 2024. Some time passes and the management for the building changes hands. Some people move out of the building and don't get their security deposits back, eventually they find out that "New Management" is claiming "Old Management" spent ALL security deposits they received on legal expenses and "New Management" is not giving anyone shit when they move out.

When lease renewal time came up I was too broke to leave so I stayed and talked a lot with new management about this and they're holding firm that that money is just gone.

(There is someone in my building who claims they called Old Managements number and someone from New Management picked up before hanging up. That's a whole side tangent.)

Basically I don't know what to do. We're only a few months from this lease ending and I know some of my roommates want to leave. None of them are thinking about this.

I've seen many people suggesting to withhold last months rent, which I see the logic in, but I'm a young broke person and I have a Guarantor and my fear is if I don't pay that rent, they're going to go after my Guarantor. Not only would I not want to burden them with this, I also would have a hard time getting their support in the future if that does come to pass. Also, I don't even know if withheld rent would be something I could do in this scenario and be in the legal right.

If I decide to stay and even one of my roommates leaves and doesn't pay their rent, me and the remaining roommates would be stuck with their bill because the Lease doesn't show who pays what. So if I don't pay that, I'd be in the same situation.

I want to know my rights, what protections I have and what I can do. I don't know what tenant support I can turn to or how I'd even start. I've put it off for way too long I know. I appreciate any help.

Location: Brooklyn