What's happening
This bill requires New York landlords to provide tenants with a "Renters' Bill of Rights" rider outlining rights and duties when signing or renewing leases.
Why it matters
Increases transparency for tenants. By requiring landlords to provide a clear, upfront "Renters' Bill of Rights," tenants will better understand their legal protections and obligations, reducing confusion or misinformation at the start or renewal of a lease.
Helps tenants navigate disputes. The rider must include information on rent regulation (like rent control) and specify the administrative or judicial bodies that handle landlord-tenant disputes, making it easier for renters to seek help if problems arise.
Improves accessibility of key information. The law mandates that the rights and duties document be in larger type than the lease and conform to existing standards for readability, ensuring important information isn’t buried in fine print and is easily noticed by tenants.
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Who cares
Landlords
They would have to provide a rights-and-duties rider with each new or renewal lease, use larger type than the lease and add a bold notice on the lease’s first page.
Tenants signing or renewing leases
They would receive a “Renters’ Bill of Rights” explaining landlord and tenant obligations and identifying where to bring disputes.
Rent-regulated tenants
The required rider would include information about relevant rent control or regulation.
Administrative bodies and courts handling landlord-tenant disputes
The rider would identify the appropriate body for hearing and deciding potential disputes.
Headline styles
Require Landlord-Tenant Rights Document
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- 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.
Require Landlord-Tenant Rights Notice
In Senate Committee · Judiciary · Sponsor Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4392
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 4, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Committee on Housing
AN ACT to amend the real property law, in relation to requiring a landlord to furnish to each tenant signing a new or renewal lease a rider describing the rights and duties of landlords and tenants
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The real property law is amended by adding a new section 223-c to read as follows:
§ 223-c. Renters' Bill of Rights. 1. Each landlord subject under this article shall furnish to each tenant either renewing or entering into a lease, a rider describing the rights and duties of the contracting parties. The lease shall have in bold print appearing on the first page the following: "Attached to this lease is a 'Renters' Bill of Rights' with the pertinent rules and regulations governing the rights and duties of landlords and tenants." Such rider shall include information regarding relevant rent control or regulation, as well as the appropriate administrative or judicial body for hearing and determining potential disputes between landlord and tenant.
2. The rider shall appear in larger type than the lease and shall conform to the intent of section 5-702 of the general obligations law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04959-01-9
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.