BROOKLYN, NY — A New York woman says a landlord changed the locks on the apartment where her mother had lived for about 45 years just 10 days after her mother died. In a TikTok video, she described a sudden loss of access to the home, along with the belongings still inside it.

She said there was no warning, no court paper, and no eviction order before the lockout. The situation became even more urgent, she said, because two cats were still inside the apartment and she was not allowed in to care for them.

How the woman describes the lockout

The woman, who posts under the name Lovey213, said her mother died on September 21, 2026, after decades in the same apartment. She said the residence held furniture, documents, family keepsakes, and other items accumulated over a lifetime.

According to her account, the landlord changed the locks while she was away and then told her the apartment was empty. She said that was difficult to accept because her mother’s possessions were still there, and because she believed she had a right to enter the home.

She also said she had proof that she lived there and proof of residency. In her video, she argued that the apartment should not have been sealed off so quickly, especially with property and animals still inside.

Why she says New York tenant rules matter

Lovey213 pointed to New York court rules she said protect people who have lived in a home for at least 30 days. In her telling, someone in that situation generally cannot simply be locked out without a court order awarding possession and a warrant of eviction.

She said she had been left without a chance to retrieve belongings after her mother’s death. Her video framed the dispute as both a housing issue and a personal loss, since the apartment had been her mother’s longtime home and a place tied to years of family memories.

To underscore the urgency, she tagged Mayor Zohran Mamdani and asked for help getting access to what she called her lifelong home. The post reflects her belief that the dispute should have been handled through the courts rather than by changing the locks first.

The cats and the missing access became the most emotional part

One of the most upsetting details in the video was the claim that her two cats were trapped inside the apartment. She said she immediately asked to enter so she could feed and care for them, but that request was refused.

That left her unable to reach not only the animals but also the belongings she said were still inside. She described the apartment as containing her mother’s furniture, personal possessions, and family history that could not be easily replaced.

Her account also suggests a gap between what she believed was happening and what the landlord claimed. While she said the unit still held years of belongings, she said she was told it was empty.

Viewers pushed her toward lawyers, locksmiths, and court

The video drew a wave of comments from viewers who offered practical advice. Some urged her to talk to a lawyer or go to court, while others suggested she contact a locksmith to regain access.

One commenter wrote, “Get a locksmith. Go to court and deal with it after,” while another locksmith reportedly commented on the video and asked her to get in touch. Other viewers went further and told her to sue the landlord.

The reaction also turned into a wider conversation about tenant rights, with some users sharing their own experiences dealing with landlords or police. Those commenters encouraged her not to let anyone intimidate her and to stand by what they believed was her legal position.

Police were called as the dispute played out

Lovey213 said she involved police while trying to sort out the situation. In the video’s comments, she said an officer appeared to treat the matter as a tenant-court issue and did not seem eager to escalate it further.

She also claimed the officer did not want to call a sergeant to the scene. Her comments suggest that the immediate next step was not a quick resolution at the apartment itself, but a legal process that could take longer to sort out.

It remains unclear whether she has filed in court. She said she applied for a “successor’s right” shortly after her mother died, which suggests she is seeking legal recognition of her claim to remain tied to the apartment.

A decades-long home turned into a legal and personal fight

At the center of the story is a familiar but painful transition: a family home becoming a legal dispute after a death. For Lovey213, the apartment was not just a place to live, but a space filled with the history of her mother’s 45-year tenancy.

Her account also shows how quickly that sense of security can disappear when access is cut off before the family has time to gather belongings or make formal arrangements. The presence of the cats added another layer of concern, turning the lock change into a problem of both property and care.

For now, the case appears to be unfolding through social media, tenant advice, and possible legal action. What she says happened has sparked strong reactions because it sits at the intersection of grief, housing, and the practical question of who gets inside when a longtime tenant dies.

Real, uplifting stories from across America – GCHS Eagle's Eye.