What's happening
This bill allows residential tenants to deduct water payments made on behalf of landlords who fail to pay for water service from their rent.
Why it matters
Strengthens tenant protections against utility shutoffs. By explicitly allowing tenants to deduct water payments from rent when landlords fail to pay, the bill helps prevent disruptions to essential water service, ensuring tenants aren't left without water due to a landlord’s negligence.
Expands the definition of covered utilities. The amendment broadens the law to include not just standard utility companies, but also public authorities, water-works corporations, and municipal water systems—covering more types of water providers and closing potential loopholes.
Creates a financial incentive for landlord compliance. Since landlords risk not receiving full rent if they neglect water bills, the bill pressures property owners to fulfill their utility obligations, promoting better building maintenance and accountability.
Reduces tenant financial burden. Tenants who must pay for water to keep services running will no longer bear the extra cost on top of rent, making housing more affordable and preventing double payments for a basic need.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Tenants Deduct Water Costs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Signed chap.143
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 54–6
- 3rd reading cal.298
- Substituted for S3942A
- Referred to judiciary
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.132
- Returned to assembly
- Died in senate
Show 14 earlier actions
- Recommitted to judiciary
- Returned to senate
- Repassed assembly
- Amended on third reading 3190a
- Vote reconsidered - restored to third reading
- Returned to assembly
- Recalled from senate
- Referred to judiciary
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Advanced to third reading cal.287
- Reported
- Reported referred to codes
- 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.
Let Tenants Deduct Water Payments
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Luis R. Sepúlveda
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3190--A Cal. No. 287
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 28, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. HUNTER, MOSLEY, BARRON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Housing -- reported and referred to the Committee on Codes -- advanced to a third reading, passed by Assembly and delivered to the Senate, recalled from the Senate, vote reconsidered, bill amended, ordered reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the real property law, in relation to allowing tenants to deduct water payments they make for deficient landlords from their rent
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 235-a of the real property law, as amended by chapter 713 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows:
1. In any case in which a residential tenant shall lawfully make a payment to a utility company pursuant to the provisions of sections thirty-three, thirty-four and one hundred sixteen of the public service law, or to a utility company as defined in subdivision twenty-three of section two of the public service law, public authority, water-works corporation, as defined in subdivision twenty-seven of section two of the public service law, or municipal water system, as prescribed in section eighty-nine-l of the public service law, for water service which a landlord is responsible for but has failed or refused to provide payment therefor, such payment shall be deductible from any future payment of rent.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04833-02-9
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.