<prompt> Human: Hello!I live with my long-time girlfriend in NYC. We rent a very large 1.5 bedroom apt for 1,750 per month. Our apt is the top floor of a 3 story brownstone, and the only other resident is the owner of the homelandlord who occupies the first 2 floors. We have lived in this apt for 5 years. Our initial rent was 1,450, so our rent increases have ranged from moderate to nothing. Our landlord is...strange. He keeps odd hours and works as a janitor at a public school somewhere in Brooklyn. He only accepts rent in cash via hand to hand transaction, and will often ask for the rent a week or two early. Once he asked for 2 months rent at once because he was in a bind. We often see notices on the house that his gas is in danger of being shut off if he doesnt make an immediate payment, but its never actually been shut off. We dont mind this too much really because we can afford it and in return we get to live in an apt that could easily be rented for 2,500 for 1,750. He also fixes any necessary repairs promptly and we generally only have contact with him when we are paying rent. He has been very good to us despite being a bit of an oddball. Tonight he approached me and said that he is very behind on his water bill and that he owes taxes to the IRS and needs money. He said that if I pay him 10,500 6 months rent up front, he will give us 6 months rent free. We would sign a yearly lease paid in full for the amount of 10,500. We know that he owns the house outright, and that he is the only owner. He is asking that we make the payment in May, not immediately. My girlfriend is an attorney for the city with an annual salary of 110k. Her job security is iron clad. I manage 2 restaurants and make 75k, I am in a very secure position but recognize that you never know what could happen. I also have a law degree and am eligible for bar admission in NYNJ. We have 12k in checkingemergency and thats it for liquid cash. Am I crazy for wanting to do this? I realize how nuts it sounds, but we would rebuild our savings in 6 months and then double it over the next 6. I know that something too good to be true usually is, but as long as everything is recorded properly, in what ways are we putting ourselves at risk? Thanks in advance. Edit: we have our own utilities, as in our own gas meter and water heater. Assistant: Interesting. Are you able to find out whether he is up to date on his property taxes? If you pay 6 months upfront do you have any guarantee that he isnt in the process of losing the property. I hope you can confirm that hes good for at least another year. I have a friend who was offered the same sort of deal in Brooklyn years ago and it worked out fine for her and the landlord.Human: As far as we can both tell gf is not a housing attorney but we are both capable of substantive legal research when property is sold in foreclosure the new owners must honor any previous lease agreements and would be informed of such agreements before purchasing, so with our annual lease we would be able to stay.  <response>: I was a former landlord in NYC and the laws protecting tenants are very good. If you get the deal in writing and notorized saying this payment fulfills a one year lease agreement you will be protected from the current owner and potential future owners. A judge would find it difficult to evict you until the lease terms are up. 