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
Reduces financial burden on tenants. by ensuring they cannot be charged extra fees for using their own appliances if they already cover their own electricity costs, making housing more affordable for renters.
Limits landlord discretion over surcharges. , preventing potential abuse or arbitrary fees that could be used to discourage tenants from installing or using personal appliances.
Targets rent-controlled housing specifically. , aiming to strengthen tenant protections in one of the most regulated and vulnerable segments of New York City's rental market.
Ties the protection to ongoing housing emergencies. , meaning these tenant rights will remain in effect only as long as the state recognizes a need for rent and eviction controls, linking tenant protections to broader housing policy.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Appliance Rent Surcharges
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to housing
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 41–21
- Ordered to third reading cal.1488
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- 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.
Ban Appliance Surcharges for Renters
In Assembly Committee · Housing · Sponsor Jeffrey Dinowitz
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3319
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 5, 2019
Introduced by Sen. JACKSON -- 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 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.
LBD00703-01-9
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 surcharges for the installation or use of certain appliances in housing accommodations subject to rent control
Purpose
This bill will prohibit the imposition of any surcharge for the instal- lation or use of a tenant-installed appliance.
Summary of provisions
This bill amends section (1) of the administrative code of the City of New York by adding a new section (26-416) that prohibits the imposition of any surcharge for the installation or use of a tenant-installed appliance where the tenant pays for electric utility service.
Justification
On March 24, 2005 the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal issued Operational Bulletin 2005-1 which states that in both rent controlled and rent stabilized apartments, when a tenant requests permission to install a washer, dryer, or dishwasher, the owner can collect a surcharge for each appliance. This action was purportedly taken in order to account for the increased wear on plumbing and the increased utility costs paid by landlords, but these costs are already taken into account when calculating rent Because these costs are already accounted for in the rent itself, and this action has the likely effect of increasing disputes between landlords and tenants, this bill is necessary to prohibit appliance surcharges.
Legislative history
2017-2018: S.799 - Referred to Housing Construction and Community Development/A.1093 Ordered to third reading rules Cal. No. 144 2015-2016: Referred to Housing, Construction, and Community Development 2011-2012: A.1338 Referred to Housing/S.3268 - Referred to Housing, Construction and Community Development 2009-2010: A.1127 - Advanced to 3rd reading Cal. No. 734 2007-2008: A.3843 - Referred to Housing 2005-2006: A.8264 - Referred to Housing
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
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 emer- gency requiring the regulation and control of residential rents and evictions continues, as provided in subdivision 2 of section 1 of the local emergency housing rent control act.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.