§ 352-l. Cooperative corporations. 1. For the purposes of this section, "non-occupying owner" shall mean the owner of shares in a cooperative corporation who does not occupy the dwelling units to which his or her shares are allocated.
2. If a non-occupying owner rents any dwelling unit to a tenant and then fails to make payments due for maintenance, assessments or late fees for such unit within sixty days of the expiration of any grace period after they are due, upon notice in accordance with subdivision three of this section, all rental payments from the tenant shall be directly payable to the cooperative corporation.
3. If the maintenance, assessments or late fees due for any unit have not been paid in full within sixty days after the expiration of any grace period of the earliest due date, the board of directors shall provide written notice to the rental tenant and the non-occupying owner providing that, commencing immediately and until such time as all payments for maintenance, assessments or late fees are made current, all rental payments due subsequent to the issuance of such notice are to be made payable to the cooperative corporation at the address listed on the notice. Where a majority of the board of directors has been elected by and from among the owners who are in occupancy, the board may elect not to require that rental payments be made payable to the cooperative corporation. At such time as payments for maintenance, assessments and late fees from the non-occupying owner are once again current, notice of such fact shall be given within three business days to the rental tenant and non-occupying owner. Thereafter all rental payments for such unit shall be made payable to the non-occupying owner or to a designated agent. A non-occupying owner who disputes the cooperative corporation's claim to rental payments pursuant to this section shall be entitled to present facts supporting such owner's position at the next scheduled meeting of the board of directors, which must be held within thirty days of the date that such board receives notice that such owner seeks to dispute such claim.
4. Nothing in this section shall limit any rights of shareholders or of the board of directors existing under any other law or agreement.
5. Payment by a rental tenant to the cooperative corporation made in connection with this section shall relieve that rental tenant from the obligation to pay such rent to the non-occupying owner and shall be an absolute defense in any non-payment proceeding commenced by such non-occupying owner against such tenant for such rent.
