What's happening
This bill prohibits landlords from charging surcharges for tenant-installed appliances if the tenant pays for their own electricity.
Why it matters
Direct financial relief for tenants. This bill means tenants who already pay their own electricity bills cannot be charged extra by landlords for installing or using appliances like air conditioners, washing machines, or dishwashers. This eliminates an added cost that often discourages tenants from upgrading their living standards.
Reduces landlord leverage over tenant choices. By removing the ability to levy surcharges, landlords have less control over what appliances tenants can install, giving tenants more autonomy to improve their quality of life without landlord interference.
Supports affordability during housing emergencies. The bill’s provisions are tied to the ongoing “public emergency” around rent regulation, reinforcing protections for tenants during periods when housing insecurity is high and making it harder for landlords to use fees to circumvent rent control regulations.
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Who cares
Headline styles
No Surcharges for Appliances
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
15 Co-sponsors
4 Multi-sponsors
History
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.144
- Rules report cal.144
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to codes
- Referred to housing
- Referred to housing
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ban Appliance Surcharges
In Senate Committee · Housing, Construction And Community Development · Sponsor Marisol Alcantara
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1093
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ, GOTTFRIED, ROSENTHAL, MOSLEY, PICHARDO, COOK, CRESPO, KAVANAGH, SEPULVEDA, BENEDETTO, DAVILA, BICHOTTE, JOYNER, WALKER, RODRIGUEZ, BLAKE, BARRON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ARROYO, DenDEKKER, GLICK, PERRY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Housing
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to surcharges for the installation or use of certain appliances in housing accommodations subject to rent control
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 26-416 to read as follows:
§ 26-416 Surcharges for tenant-installed appliances. The imposition of any surcharge for the installation or use of a tenant-installed appliance is prohibited where the tenant pays for electric utility service.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that section 26-416 of the city rent and rehabilitation law as added by section one of this act shall remain in full force and effect only as long as the public emergency requiring the regulation and control of residential rents and evictions continues, as provided in subdivision 3 of section 1 of the local emergency housing rent control act.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00019-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.