Do this today
- Put the repair request in writing. Date it. Keep a copy.
- Photograph the condition, including anything that is unsafe — no heat, no water, mold, pests, broken locks.
- Do not withhold rent until you have confirmed that New York allows a process for it.
- Ask the city housing or health department whether they take condition complaints.
What should I put in writing?
What is broken, since when, how it affects living in the unit, and that you are asking for repair. Send it in a way you can prove. New York landlord-tenant and summary-proceeding statutes may require written notice before other remedies exist. A text can help; a dated letter you can produce later is stronger.
Can I withhold rent in ${n}?
Sometimes a state has a lawful process for withholding, escrow, or repair-and-deduct. Sometimes skipping rent is itself grounds for eviction. That split is why this site will not tell you to withhold. Confirm New York landlord-tenant and summary-proceeding statutes or ask legal aid in New York first.
Is New York State the same as New York City for renters?
No. Real Property Law and the RPAPL are statewide. NYC adds the Housing Maintenance Code, HPD, 311, and Housing Court in the five boroughs. HCR administers rent-regulated housing. Buffalo, Rochester, and the rest of the state are not HPD. Do not call NYC HPD about an upstate unit.
The New York chapter
New York landlord-tenant and summary-proceeding statutes (N.Y. Real Prop. Law Art. 7; Real Prop. Acts. and Proc. Law) is the starting point. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.
New York's tenancy rules are spread across the Real Property Law and the Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law, and the Attorney General publishes a Residential Tenants' Rights Guide. New York City and several counties have additional regulated-housing systems.
New York City has its own rent-stabilization system, housing court, and housing maintenance code. Some other counties and municipalities have adopted rent regulation as well. Whether a particular building is regulated is a building-by-building question.
Official sources
- StatuteNew York Real Property Law, Article 7 — Landlord and TenantNYS Open Legislation, the Senate's official law publisher.
- StatuteNew York Real Property Actions and Proceedings LawThe law governing summary proceedings, including eviction cases.
- State agencyNYS Homes and Community Renewal — Tenant Protection UnitState agency for rent-regulated housing and tenant harassment complaints.
- State agencyNew York Attorney General — Residential Tenants' Rights GuideThe state's plain-language guide for renters.
- Free legal helpLawHelpNY — Tenant and homeowner rightsStatewide legal-aid guides and referrals.
- Statute indexCornell LII landlord-tenant tableN.Y. Real Prop. Law Art. 7; Real Prop. Acts. and Proc. Law
- FederalHUD — New York
- Free legal helpLawHelp.org — New York
Common questions
Does New York require my landlord to make repairs?
Most states impose a duty to keep a rental habitable. The exact list of systems, the notice you must give, and the remedies are in New York landlord-tenant and summary-proceeding statutes. This page tells you what to write down, not which lever to pull.
Can I withhold rent in New York if nothing is fixed?
Only if New York law provides a process for it, and only if you follow that process. Ask legal aid before you skip a payment. A wrong withhold can become an eviction case.
Who else can I call in New York?
City housing or health departments often take condition complaints. 211 can route you. Legal aid is the right call if a notice or a court paper arrived after you complained.
Is New York State the same as New York City for renters?
No. Real Property Law and the RPAPL are statewide. NYC adds the Housing Maintenance Code, HPD, 311, and Housing Court in the five boroughs. HCR administers rent-regulated housing. Buffalo, Rochester, and the rest of the state are not HPD. Do not call NYC HPD about an upstate unit.
The national repairs guide has the full sequence. Open the repairs guide
People also ask
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org