It may be uncomfortable to contemplate a landlord who can enter your apartment at virtually any time. Nobody loves the idea of providing a stranger with the key to their home. Unfortunately, landlords usually have a key by default. And if you attempt to circumvent this reality by installing your own lock, you’ll be dealing with New York Multiple Dwelling Law 50-1. New York Multiple Dwelling Law states you may install your own lock but must provide the landlord with a copy of the key if you do so. If you don’t, the landlord could evict you from your apartment for failing to comply with the law ..read more

The rental market is tough everywhere, but it doesn’t get tougher than New York City. If you’re going to make it as a renter here, you’ve got to adopt some smart legal habits to protect yourself. Here are five habits that real estate lawyers like me recommend to New York tenants.  #1) Reading the Lease You must read your lease. First, you need to make sure there are no illegal or unenforceable clauses in there.  Second, you need to know what kinds of activities could get you slapped with a lease violation, a fine, or an eviction notice. This allows you to avoid those activities and e ..read more

Security deposits are an endless source of frustration for New York tenants. It can be difficult to get them back even if you move out of a squeaky clean, undamaged apartment.  In addition, security deposits can serve as a barrier to moving into a new place. Here’s what you need to know about New York security deposit law. Security Deposit Amounts Rent-stabilized units may only require a security deposit equal to one month’s rent. Non-stabilized units have no specific maximum amount.  Landlords of buildings with six or more apartments must put all security deposits into a New York ba ..read more

There are few things more disgusting or distressing than a bedbug infestation. That’s why New York specifically has laws to protect tenant’s rights to a bedbug-free environment.  Here’s what you need to know. Your Rights If Your Unit Has Bedbugs If you have bedbugs, your landlord has 30 days to correct this problem. It’s considered a Class B violation, and they must both get rid of the infestation and keep your unit (and other affected units) from getting infected again. It’s even possible to file a bedbug complaint online. First, of course, you should contact your landlord. Ask them to s ..read more

Landlords have a responsibility to provide safe, well-maintained homes. While the city does not enforce minor repairs, it does require landlords to adhere to housing codes. These codes are enforced by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development Violation (HPD).  If they do not, they may be issued one of three types of violations. A Class A violation is a non-hazardous violation, such as a missing peephole, a failure to place a street number on the front of the dwelling, or placing an improper seat on a toilet. When a property owner receives a Notice of Violation (NOV), they mus ..read more

You spend the night with your significant other. Your landlord tells you they will evict you for having sex before marriage unless you agree to stop seeing your significant other on their property. Can they do it? Or you are a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and your landlord catches wind of your orientation. Can they drive you out of your apartment because they believe being queer is a sin? Not in the state of New York, they can’t.  In New York, there are two reasons why a landlord may evict a tenant. The tenant has not paid rent. You violated your lease. Chances are there is nothing i ..read more

Your landlord has certain obligations to make sure your apartment is livable. Those obligations include providing hot water year-round and heating during “heat season.” Heat season runs from October 1st to May 31st each year. We’re still a few months out…but knowing your rights is important before heat season begins. For one thing, landlords in New York City frequently violate these laws. In 2019, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development received over 3,000 heat-related complaints. Many other heat-related problems go unreported every year.  How much heat is required? Hot wat ..read more

Recently, residents of a building in the Bronx went on a rent strike. Their landlord refused to fix rodent and cockroach infestations, peeling paint, leaking pipes, broken cabinets, refrigerators, outlets, and stoves. They also filed a lawsuit to get the landlord to address the issues. There are even worse stories out there. Some tenants in New York City are forced to go without a stove, cooking gas, or heat. Some struggle with mold or other health hazards. The statistics on repairs in New York City are grim. 24% of New York buildings have rodent infestations. One in six apartments have leaks ..read more

In recent news, New York City tenants marched by the thousands to protest rental conditions in the city, bearing signs like “Cap the Rent” and “The Rent is Too Damn High.”  Collective action is powerful, but marching isn’t your only option. You could also form a tenant organization to champion your interests.  In New York, tenants can form a tenant organization to protect their interests. A tenants’ organization is any organization of two or more people who band together to protect their interests. A tenant organization is much like a labor union, except it’s made up of tenants, not ..read more

When you receive an eviction notice, your landlord accuses you of one of two things. The landlord is either claiming you did not pay the rent, or they’re claiming you violated the lease.  In New York, it is possible to challenge an eviction on many grounds, but you’ll have to move fast. You’ll need help from a New York real estate lawyer.  Here are the most common defenses. Lack of Notice Landlords aren’t allowed to just send an eviction notice out of the blue. If you’ve violated the lease, they must provide an individual with a 10-day notice offering them the chance to fix the viola ..read more