how oversharged rent landlord small claims court attorney general new york state

by Lincoln Flatley 6 min read

How much can you sue for rent in NYS?

New York State who can represent tenants who qualify for their services. Check lawhelp.org. The Office of the Attorney General cannot provide direct legal advice. You Are Entitled to Notice of Past Due Rent • Your landlord must send you a written notice by certified mail every time you are more than five days late with your rent. If your landlord

Can a landlord be sued for overcharging a tenant?

28 Liberty Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10005. The amount of a security deposit for a rent regulated apartment is usually limited by law to one month's rent. If the landlord demands that the tenant pay more than one month's security, a tenant can file a "Tenant's Complaint of Rent Overcharges and/or Excess Security Deposit" with DHCR (DHCR Form RA-89). You may obtain …

What are a tenant’s rights in a New York landlord lawsuit?

Jul 15, 2021 · Small Claims. Small Claims Court is a special part of the court where you can sue for money without a lawyer. You cannot sue to make someone do something or for pain and suffering. Anyone 18 years of age or older can sue in Small Claims Court. If you are less than 18 years old, your parent or guardian may sue on your behalf.

Can a landlord sue a tenant for high rent?

Jan 15, 2022 · Landlord Tenant cases are filed in one (1) of the outlying District Courts located within the five (5) western towns of Suffolk County – Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip and Smithtown. The L&T case must be filed in the District Court located with the same Town where the property is located. Search by index number.

How do I file a claim against a landlord in NY?

For general questions, call the main number, 212-306-7450. To file a complaint, call the number for scheduling appointments, 718-722-3130.

What is the new rent law in New York?

On June 23, 2021, the Rent Guidelines Board voted to freeze stabilized rents for the first six months of one-year leases starting on or after Oct. 1, 2021. After six months, rents will be raised by 1.5%. Rents for two-year leases will rise 2.5% for the entire 24 months.Oct 27, 2021

How do I file a claim against my landlord?

You can make a formal complaint by writing a letter to your landlord. Explain your problem and what you want them to do to solve it. Tell them what rights you have and what you think they should have done. Talk to an adviser at your nearest Citizens Advice to find out what rights you have.

How long does a landlord have to sue for damages in NY?

The statute of limitations "clock" starts running on the day the property damage occurs. So a New York property owner has three years from that date to get any civil lawsuit filed against the person who caused the damage or destruction.

What a landlord Cannot do?

Landlords cannot enter tenanted properties without giving proper notice. Landlords cannot arbitrarily end someone's tenancy before the lease expires. Arbitrary, mid-lease rent increases are not permitted unless specified in certain circumstances in the lease or by the municipality.

How do tenants qualify for rent control in New York?

Being able to rent a rent-controlled apartment depends on state and city laws. in New York City, the only way to get one is to inherit it from a family member who moved out or died. In those cases, a renter would then be able to claim the lease and continue to pay the capped monthly rent.

How much compensation can I claim from landlord?

Normally, compensation ranges between 25% to 50% of the rent of the property.

Can I claim rent back from landlord?

Tenants and former tenants can reclaim up to twelve months rent in a RRO where the tenant can prove the landlord has committed an offence or been convicted.

Can I ask for compensation from my landlord?

You may be entitled to compensation from your landlord if they fail to carry out repair work within a reasonable time, or if your house is unfit to live in due to poor conditions. ... If your landlord won't agree, renters can take legal action to claim compensation either during the tenancy or after it ends.Mar 26, 2021

How do I sue someone in small claims court in NY?

To begin an action in Small Claims Court, a person, or someone acting on his or her behalf, must come to the Small Claims Court Clerk's office in the proper county and fill out a statement of claim. To find out where the clerk's office is located in your county, click on Locations.Nov 4, 2021

Is landlord responsible for damage to tenant property?

Damage that cannot be classified as wear and tear, but is also not caused by the tenant, their guest, or negligence about the maintenance is the landlord's responsibility. Typically, these are structural repairs, plumbing, electrical wiring, gas appliances.

Can you withhold rent for repairs in NY?

It's legal for tenants in New York to withhold rent until the landlord makes major repairs, but they must notify their landlord of the problem first—and give them a reasonable amount of time to fix it.Jan 15, 2020

Can landlords raise rent during Covid in NY 2022?

Rent Increases Is this legal? It depends. If you have a current lease, your landlord cannot increase your rent until it expires. If you are rent-stabilized or rent-controlled, the landlord is limited in the amounts it can increase your rent (currently 1.5% for a one-year renewal and 2.5% for a two-year renewal).

How long does a landlord have to sue for unpaid rent NYC?

In New York State, a landlord has two years after a lease expires to file a legal action for rent owed or damages. There is a sequence of paper work you need in the US. When rent is late one day issue a 3 day pay or vacate.

What a landlord Cannot do?

Landlords cannot enter tenanted properties without giving proper notice. Landlords cannot arbitrarily end someone's tenancy before the lease expires. Arbitrary, mid-lease rent increases are not permitted unless specified in certain circumstances in the lease or by the municipality.

How much can a landlord raise rent in NY State?

no limit on how much your landlord can increase your rent. However, your landlord must give you advanced written notice before they can raise your rent 5% or more. advance written notice. This applies to month-to-month tenants without a lease as well.

Can landlord raise rent during Covid in New York State?

Landlords cannot participate in “rent gouging,” by increasing rent in order to capitalize on the crisis. If you have a current lease, your landlord cannot increase your rent until it expires.Apr 16, 2020

Can you evict a tenant for not paying rent?

Late or non-payment of rental is a breach of lease, but you need to follow the proper procedures to put the tenant to terms or evict – DIY eviction of a tenant is not just frowned upon, it's illegal. ... Likewise, any form of harassment could see you being sued by the tenant – so keep it legal!

Can I sue tenant for unpaid rent NYC?

The landlord can still sue the tenant for unpaid rent if the tenant does not pay rent after moving out. If the tenant does not pay rent or move out of the rental unit within 14 days, the landlord can file an eviction lawsuit with the court.

What can landlord do if tenant doesn't pay rent?

My tenant is not paying rent. What can I do?1 Keep a record of rent payments. ... 2 Talk to your tenants. ... 3 Write to your tenant. ... 4 Send a letter to the guarantor. ... 5 Claim possession of your property. ... 6 Go to court. ... 7 Rent arrears and court action. ... 8 Get cover for unpaid rent.

How can I get my landlord in trouble?

If you think your landlord is violating the Fair Housing Act, you can get that landlord in trouble by filing a complaint at HUD.gov. Your remedy for breach of quiet enjoyment is to terminate the lease and move or sue in small claims court.Aug 6, 2021

Can a landlord evict you without a court order?

No-one can be evicted without an order of a court. ... The law does not permit arbitrary evictions. This means that before you are evicted there must be a court order. A court must consider how the eviction will affect the people who will be evicted and evictions cannot be done without good reasons.Apr 26, 2018

What landlords should avoid?

These are some of the most common mistakes made by landlords and what you can do to avoid making them with your properties.Insufficient Insurance Coverage. ... Insufficient Tenant Verification. ... Expecting A Consistent Income. ... Ignorance Of Tenants' Rights. ... Disregarding Tenants. ... Failing To Enforce Leasing Terms.More items...•Sep 10, 2021

What is the Division of Housing and Community Renewal?

Please know that the Division of Housing and Community Renewal http://www.nyshcr.org/ (DHCR) is responsible for the supervision, maintenance and development of affordable low- and moderate-income housing in New York State. DHCR performs a number of activities in fulfillment of this mission, including: 1 Rent Administration - Administration of the rent regulation process for more than one million rent-regulated apartments in both New York City, and those localities in the counties of Albany, Erie, Nassau, Rockland, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Westchester subject to rent laws; click here: http://www.nyshcr.org/Rent/ 2 Community Development - Administration of housing development and community preservation programs, including State and Federal grants and loans to housing developers to partially finance construction or renovation of affordable housing; and 3 Housing Operations - Oversite and regulation of the State's public and publicly assisted rental housing.

What is community development?

Community Development - Administration of housing development and community preservation programs, including State and Federal grants and loans to housing developers to partially finance construction or renovation of affordable housing; and. Housing Operations - Oversite and regulation of the State's public and publicly assisted rental housing.

Where are landlord tenant cases filed?

Landlord Tenant cases are filed in one (1) of the outlying District Courts located within the five (5) western towns of Suffolk County – Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip and Smithtown. The L&T case must be filed in the District Court located with the same Town where the property is located. Search by index number.

What time does the landlord court open?

All Landlord & Tenant Court courthouses are open Monday - Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and are closed and locked from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. All business must be commenced by 12:30 p.m. in the morning session and 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon. Calendars are called at 9:30 a.m., unless an alternate time has been designated by the court.

How long does it take to serve a notice of service?

As of June 2019, the Notice of Petition and Petition must be served upon the respondent/tenant no more than seventeen (17) days but no fewer than ten (10) days before the court date listed on the notice.

What is a landlord tenant?

Landlord-Tenant (L&T) cases generally seek the relief of an order of the Court directing the rightful possession of real property – residential or commercial – back to the landlord.

Can you evict someone who is not a tenant?

If the person you want to evict is not a tenant, or if you are not the landlord, you may be able to evict them, but not with these court forms. Examples of relationships involving real property which may permit an eviction are included at RPAPL §713 and RPAPL §715 ).

How to sue a landlord for unpaid rent?

Landlords sometimes go to small claims court to sue former tenants–those who have already moved out–for unpaid rent, when the security deposit isn't sufficient to cover the amount. These cases arise when: 1 the tenancy is month-to-month, and the tenant has left without giving the required 30 days' notice, and 2 the tenant has a lease, but has broken it by leaving before its term is up.

Why do landlords file lawsuits?

Landlords file these lawsuits when there's considerable time left on the lease, and their reasonable efforts, if legally required (see the section above), have failed to produce a new tenant ( perhaps because the market is soft, or the rental just isn't that attractive).

What does it mean when a tenant refuses to pay rent?

Tenants who leave before the expiration of a fixed-term lease (whether or not they notify the landlord that they're leaving) and refuse to pay the remainder of the rent due under the lease are said to have "broken the lease.". This means the tenant is liable for the rent for the entire lease term ...

How long do you have to give notice to move out?

Month-to-month tenants must give at least the legally required number of days' notice of their intent to move out, and must pay rent during those days. For example, if the notice period is 30 days, and the landlord receives notice on the 20th, that tenancy will end 30 days later. If the tenant pays rent on the first of the month, he or she will owe prorated rent for 20 days of the next month. If the tenant doesn't pay and simply moves out, the landlord could sue for those 20 days' worth of rent, assuming the security deposit is too small or already depleted due to needed repairs or cleaning.

What is a cotenant in a lease?

Tenants Suing Cotenants for Unpaid Rent. When two or more people rent property together and all sign the same rental agreement or lease, they are cotenants. Each cotenant shares the same rights and responsibilities under the lease or rental agreement.

How long does a tenant have to pay rent?

If the tenant pays rent on the first of the month, he or she will owe prorated rent for 20 days of the next month. If the tenant doesn't pay and simply moves out, the landlord could sue for those 20 days' worth of rent, assuming the security deposit is too small or already depleted due to needed repairs or cleaning.

Can a landlord be sued for excessive rent?

In the cities in New York and California that have rent control laws, a landlord who charges illegally high rent can be sued by the tenant not only for the excess rent charged, but for a punitive amount as well (often several times the overcharge).

How much can a small claims court hear in New York?

New York small claims court will hear rent-related disputes valued up to $5,000 unless they are filed in a town or village court, in which case the limit is $3,000. Eviction cases are not handled by the small claims court system. More info on the state’s court system can be found here.

What are the rights of a tenant in New York?

If a lease agreement exists, then according to New York law ( NY Real Property Law Sec. 220-238A ), tenants have certain rights, such as the right to a habitable dwelling, protection from illegal retaliation, and more.

How long do you have to give notice of eviction in New York?

At-will tenants are entitled to receive at least 30 days’, 60 days’, and 90 days’ notice, depending on if they have rented for less than a year, between 1-2 years, and greater than 2 years, respectively.

What are the responsibilities of a landlord in New York?

In New York, landlords must provide a habitable dwelling for tenants and must respond to repair requests in a “reasonable” timeframe, although “reasonable” is not defined by law. If they do not, then New York tenants have the right to take at least two forms of alternative action.

Can a landlord enter a building in New York without notice?

Landlord Right to Entry in New York. New York law does not define limits on a landlord’s right to entry. As such, landlords are technically free to enter when they wish without notice. However, most landlords and tenants create entry notification policies in the lease agreement.

What happens if you don't pay rent in New York?

If they do not, then New York tenants have the right to take at least two forms of alternative action. They can withhold rent entirely or they can make the repairs themselves and deduct the cost from future rental payments.

How long does it take to return a security deposit in Syracuse?

New York state interprets this ordinance as giving landlords 2 weeks to return a deposit. This policy is not open to interpretation.

What happens if you don't come to court?

The person who didn’t come to Court may ask to open the case again if s/he has a valid defense and a good reason for not coming to the trial. This is done by making a motion or an order to show cause to vacate (cancel) the default. See

How long does it take to get a new trial after an arbitrator's award?

Any party who is not in default has 35 days from the date of the mailing of the arbitrator’s award to ask the court for a new trial before a judge. This is called a trial de novo. If you ask for a trial de novo you will have to pay a $75.00 fee.

How long does it take to postpone a counterclaim?

Maybe, it depends on when the defendant filed the counterclaim. If the defendant filed it more than 5 days after getting the notice of claim, but before the trial date, the judge must grant your request to postpone the trial.

How long does it take for a court to decide a case?

In most cases, the Court needs some time to consider your case. The Court will mail its decision to both sides within 30 days.