Rent laws in New York 2023 every renter must know

Shelter, one of the basic needs of life remains one of the most important concerns of every state that’s why home ownership and rent laws in New York exist to make sure every person is not denied the opportunity to have a roof over their head, while also regulating how homes are acquired and the agreements between landlords and tenants to ensure peace and order in communities in New York.

Rent Laws in New York

Application and Background Checks fees

Landlords or estate agents are not allowed to charge more than $20 as application fees, Neither are landlords permitted to charge tenants for background checks. Landlords are also prohibited from using disputes of renter with a previous landlord as basis for rejecting a rent application.

Broker Fee

Real estate brokers as at now can charge a broker fee but that could be zero soon as a recent ruling outlawed the charging of broker fees, but disgruntled real estate industry in concert with New York local brokers filed a case against the order which a court in Albany temporarily suspended the initial order banning broker fees until further determination is made. For the time being, real estate brokers can charge broker fee and you need to prepare for that.

Security Deposits

Prospective tenants are required by rent laws in New York to pay a security deposit amounting to a month’s rent to the landlord. The Landlord is however required to return the security deposit to the renter within a 14-day period after the renter vacates the property.

Rent Increase Notice

According to the New York Rent Law, a landlord must notify tenant 30-days if he/she intends to raise rent by more than 5 percent. Depending on the length of lease, this period could be longer. If Tenant has been occupying the property for more than 12months, the law requires a 60-day prior notice while a 90-day prior notice is required if tent has been in occupancy for over 24 months.

Eviction from apartment

Strict guidelines within the rent laws in New York forbids landlords from forcing tenants to vacate their property and offending landlords could be fined a minimum $1,000. The law also now affords tenants a 30-day to honor all defaults in the lease agreement.

Rent Controlled & Rent Stabilized Apartments.

Many New Yorkers, preferably choose rent controlled and rent stabilized apartments which make up over one million apartments in the New York city area.

In 2019, changes in the law regulating rent controlled/stabilized apartments considered that these apartments will reverse to the market rate if renters’ income surpasses $200,000 for two successive years and their rent touches $2,774.

That regulation was however dealt away with, the new law stipulates that regardless of the income and rent of a tenant, the apartments will remain affordable to all.

Under the new regulation also, tenants of rent-stabilized apartments can rest assured than Landlords will not raise rent whimsically as before which they could raise rent as high as 20%. No more rent increase.

Landlords can however charge a maximum amount of $89 instead of the previous $1000 for improvements to the property.