Landlord Tenant Law NYC
If you are looking to move to New York City and you intend to lease the property you intend to live or work in, it would be a great idea to understand Landlord Tenant Laws in NYC. Here is a beginner’s guide to help you navigate these laws and understand your Manhattan tenant rights.
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Landlord Tenant Laws in NYC What You Should Know
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Security Deposits
Landlords in New York City are not required to collect a security deposit from you. There might be instances where it counts, but the deposit should not exceed the equivalent of a month’s rent in such situations. The landlords are also required to return the security deposit within two weeks of the tenant vacating the premises. On the flip side, a landlord might decide to withhold the security deposit when there are damages to the property or a breach(s) on the lease agreement.
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Rental Agreement
You’d need a rental agreement if you plan on holding a tenancy for more than 12 months in New York. A typical rental agreement will contain information about the landlord and the lease, the description of the property, the terms of the lease, the amount payable as rent, the penalties for late rent payments, a detailed description of the space being leased, the responsibilities of both landlord and lease and the party liable for utility expenses among others. There are many capable lawyers for tenants in New York that could walk you through a New York rental agreement. Finding a lawyer in New York is one of the easiest things to do.
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Rental Payment
The laws in New York allow a landlord to charge whatever they agree with a tenant as rent once the rental space is not subject to rent stabilization. A lawyer who offers legal services for landlords is often a party to the transaction. Tenants can pay via any other payment method besides the electronic payment method. Upon receipt of payments, landlords must provide written rent receipts except where the tenant pays via a personal check. The written receipts must reflect the payment date, the amount paid, the duration for which the rent was paid, and the apartment number. However, tenants are entitled to withhold rent when the rental property fails to meets basic structural, health, and safety standards.
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Late Fees and Grace Periods
There is no legal requirement for late fees, neither are there mandated grace periods in New York City. That said, the majority of the landlords in New York charge late fees. And a landlord reserves the right to declare a tenant in default when they fail to pay their rent upwards of 10 days after it is due. Often times they do this using a landlord representation lawyer in NYC.
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Contact us for the best legal services for landlords
Do you need advice about evicting a tenant in NYC? Or do you need the services of a seasoned lawyer to help with landlord-tenant issues? Stark Law PLLC is here for you. We offer a free fifteen-minute consultation with an experienced attorney for NYC landlords. Take advantage of this offer today by calling NY’s leading landlord-tenant law firm at 718-792-1200.