What's happening
This bill requires New York City landlords to give new tenants a notice disclosing the prior four years’ rental history and explanation of rent increases.
Why it matters
Empowers tenants with transparency. By requiring landlords to disclose the prior four years’ rent amounts and justifications for increases, tenants gain crucial information to help spot potentially unlawful rent hikes and understand the true history of their unit’s pricing.
Strengthens tenant protections. The bill creates an enforcement mechanism—if a landlord fails to provide the required notice, tenants can complain to the housing authority, which can then penalize landlords by suspending their ability to collect certain rent increases until compliance.
Improves accountability and deters abuse. With the threat of penalties and the requirement for itemized explanations, landlords may be less likely to inflate rents or obscure the basis for increases, supporting fairer housing practices.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Rental History Disclosure
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
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.
Show Rental History to Tenants
In Assembly Committee · Housing · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
800
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sen. ALCANTARA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring landlords to provide notice of rental history upon the signing of a vacancy lease
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 26-517.2 to read as follows:
§ 26-517.2 Notice of rental history. a. For housing accommodations subject to this code, an owner shall furnish to each tenant signing a vacancy lease, a notice in a form promulgated or approved by the state division of housing and community renewal that sets forth the rent amount actually paid by tenants for the four years immediately prior to the vacancy, if any, an explanation of how the rental amount provided for in the vacancy lease has been computed above the amount shown in the most recent annual registration statement, and a statement that any increase above the amount set forth in such registration statement is in accordance with the adjustments permitted by the rent guidelines board and this code.
b. Upon complaint by the tenant that he or she was not furnished with a copy of the notice required pursuant to subdivision a of this section, the division of housing and community renewal shall order the owner to furnish the notice. If the owner fails to comply within twenty days of such order, the owner shall not be entitled to collect any guidelines lease adjustment authorized for any current lease from the commencement date of such lease. The furnishing of the notice by the owner to the tenant or hotel occupant shall result in the elimination, prospectively, of such penalty.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00021-01-7
S. 800 2
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the amendment to chapter 4 of title 26 of the administrative code of the city of New York made by section one of this act shall expire on the same date as such law expires and shall not affect the expiration of such law as provided under section 26-520 of such law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring landlords to provide notice of rental history upon the signing of a vacancy lease
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill will require landlords to furnish new tenants with a rental history itemizing the legal rent-regulated price dating back four years.
Summary of specific provisions
This bill will amend the administrative code of the city of New York to add section 26-517.2. Section 26-517.2a will require an owner to furnish for each tenant signing a vacancy lease, a notice in a form Promulgated or approved by the state division of housing and community renewal that sets forth the prior legal regulated rent, if any, which was in effect for the four years immediately prior to the vacancy, an explanation of how the rental amount provided for in the vacancy lease has been computed above the amount shown in the most recent annual registration statement, and a statement that any increase above the amount set forth in such registration statement is in accordance with the adjustments permitted by the rent guidelines board and this code.
Section 26-517.2b states that upon complaint by the tenant that that he or she was not furnished with a copy of the notice required pursuant to subdivision of this section, the division of housing and community renewal shall order the owner to furnish the notice. If the owner fails to comply within twenty days of such order, the owner shall not be entitled to collect any guidelines lease adjustment authorized for any current lease from the commencement date of such lease. The furnishing of the notice by the owner to the tenant or hotel occupant shall result in the elimination, prospectively, of such penalty.
Justification
Rent-regulated dwellings have a unique price that is easily computed through specific formulas. This information should be made available to incoming tenants in rent-regulated dwellings in order to ensure they are not mislead into paying more than the legal maximum.
Owners that cannot Provide this information should not be allowed to collect additional rent based on major capitol improvements, previous tenant occupancy or other events that cannot be verified. The nominal financial penalty incurred as a result of an owner's failure to supply necessary documentation will incentivize owners to furnish tenants with accurate and complete rental histories.
Prior legislative history
A.10814 of 2010 2015-2016: Referred to Housing, Construction, and Community Development
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately, provided that the amendment to chapter 4 of title 26 of the administrative code of the city of New York made by section one of this act shall expire on the same date as such law expires and shall not affect the expiration of such law as provided under 26-520 of such law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.