New York State Tenant Protection Law

I have lived in New York State my entire life. I have rented numerous apartments all the way from Long Island to Albany and I thought I knew everything. Boy, was I wrong.  Knowing what to do when dealing with an unlawful landlord or property manager will help you find easy resolves for what may seem like major problems. The New York State laws of renting do not change much from one category to another. For example if you are renting a condo, town home, apartment, house, or studio you are basically entitled to the same rights all around. If you live with a roommate or in a subleased house there are certain rules that apply only for these categories.

Let's start with basic rights that any renter has.  When renting in New York State all renters are entitled to privacy, health and safety, and utilities. Specifics will depend on what type of contract you sign.  When it comes to privacy and renting New York State laws are very specific about what is lawful and what is not.  It is unlawful for a landlord or property manager to enter a tenant residence without prior notification or approval.  According to New York State law landlords may only enter a private residence to complete agreed upon repairs, at an agreed upon time. For example if you and your landlord agree that he will enter the residence at 4 p.m. on Tuesday to fix the leaky faucet, this is the only time that the landlord is able to access your property.  If the landlord is there to fix the agreed upon faucet and wants to do other work at the same time, technically he is not allowed to unless you have a prior agreement.