New York Landlord-Tenant Law

Maximum deposit

Landlords may collect no more than one month's rent as a security deposit, and may not also collect last month's rent or other advance rent (N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a)(a)). (N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a)(a))

• In effect since July 14, 2019.
• Before July 14, 2019: No statewide cap for unregulated units before the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (rent-stabilized units were already limited to one month).

Return deadline

Landlords must return the deposit, less any itemized deductions, within 14 days after the tenant vacates (N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a)(e)). (N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a)(e))

Itemized deductions

Landlords must give the tenant an itemized statement of the basis for any amount retained within 14 days after the tenant vacates (N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a)(e)). (N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a)(b), (e))

Interest on deposits

Landlords of buildings with six or more units must keep deposits in an interest-bearing New York bank account and credit the tenant with the interest minus a 1% annual administrative fee (N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-103(2), (2-a)). (N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-103(2), (2-a))

Penalty for wrongful withholding

A landlord who misses the 14-day itemization deadline forfeits any right to keep part of the deposit, and a willful violator owes actual damages plus punitive damages up to twice the deposit (N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a)(e), (g)). (N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a)(e), (g))

Late-fee limit

A late fee may not exceed the lesser of $50 or 5% of the monthly rent (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(2)). (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(2))

Grace period

A late fee may be charged only if rent is still unpaid five days after its due date (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(2)). (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(2))

New York has no statute setting an entry-notice period; landlords should give reasonable advance notice and enter at reasonable times for repairs or as the lease allows, except in emergencies (NY AG Residential Tenants' Rights Guide, "Right to Privacy"). (NY AG Residential Tenants' Rights Guide, Right to Privacy (p. 54))

To end a month-to-month tenancy a landlord must give 30, 60 or 90 days' written notice depending on whether the tenant has lived there under one year, one to two years, or two years or more, and a tenant outside NYC must give one month's notice (N.Y. Real Prop. Law §§ 226-c, 232-a, 232-b). (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 226-c(2), N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 232-a (NYC), N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 232-b (outside NYC))

Landlords must give 30, 60 or 90 days' written notice before a rent increase of 5% or more (or a non-renewal), based on the longer of the tenant's occupancy or lease term (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 226-c). (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 226-c)

New York has no statewide rent cap, but NYC and opting-in localities have rent stabilization under the Emergency Tenant Protection Act, and the Good Cause Eviction Law treats increases above the lower of 5% plus inflation or 10% as presumptively unreasonable in covered units (Emergency Tenant Protection Act § 3; N.Y. Real Prop. Law §§ 211(8), 216). (Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974 § 3, N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 211(8) (local rent standard), N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 213 (opt-in outside NYC), N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 214 (exemptions), N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 216, N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 212 (applies in NYC))

• In effect since April 20, 2024.

Every New York residential lease must include a sprinkler-system notice, a flood-zone/flood-history disclosure and the Good Cause Eviction Law notice under § 231-c, and pre-1978 units need the federal lead-paint disclosure (N.Y. Real Prop. Law §§ 231-a, 231-b, 231-c). (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 231-a, N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 231-b, N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 231-c)

• Lead-based paint disclosure and EPA pamphlet (Housing built before 1978) — 42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR Part 745 Subpart F
• Sprinkler system notice (bold type) with last maintenance/inspection date (Every residential lease) — N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 231-a
• Flood zone, flood history and renters flood insurance (NFIP) disclosure (Every residential lease (effective June 21, 2023)) — N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 231-b
• Good Cause Eviction Law notice (whether unit is covered, exemption, justification for above-standard increases) (Every initial and renewal lease, § 226-c increase/non-renewal notice, RPAPL § 711(2) rent demand and § 741 petition; the notice must state whether the unit is covered or which exemption applies (including a locality outside NYC that has not opted in)) — N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 231-c

Unpaid rent

Before filing a nonpayment case, the landlord must serve a written demand giving the tenant at least 14 days to pay the rent (N.Y. Real Prop. Actions & Proc. Law § 711(2)). (N.Y. RPAPL § 711(2))

Lease violations

For units covered by the Good Cause Eviction Law a landlord may evict for a lease violation only after written notice and the tenant's failure to cure within 10 days, and in any lease-breach eviction statewide the court must stay the warrant 30 days so the tenant can cure (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 216(1)(b); RPAPL § 753(4)). (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 216(1)(b), N.Y. RPAPL § 753(4))