---
name: ny-landlord-tenant
description: >
  Subject-matter bundle for New York landlord-tenant defense and
  prosecution — particularly residential summary proceedings under RPAPL
  Article 7. Triggers include 'eviction defense New York', 'NYC Housing
  Court', 'RPAPL 711 holdover', 'RPAPL 731 nonpayment', 'HSTPA 2019',
  'Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act', 'Good Cause Eviction
  Law 2024', 'rent stabilization', 'RPL 235-b warranty of habitability',
  'Real Property Law 226-c', '14-day demand letter', '30-day notice to
  vacate'. Covers **RPAPL Article 7** summary proceedings (holdover +
  nonpayment); **2019 HSTPA** reforms (rent increases, security deposits,
  attorney's-fee shifting); **2024 Good Cause Eviction Law** (RPL Article
  6-A); **RPL 235-b** warranty of habitability; **ERAP** automatic stay;
  and **NYC Housing Court** practice including right-to-counsel under NYC
  Admin Code § 26-1301.
version: 0.1.1
---

# New York Landlord-Tenant Practice

> **NOT LEGAL ADVICE.** Landlord-tenant law in New York is
> heavily statute-driven and has changed dramatically with
> HSTPA 2019 and the 2024 Good Cause Eviction Law. Verify
> the current text of every cited rule before relying.

## NY landlord-tenant overview

| Forum | Cases |
|-------|-------|
| **Housing Court Part** of NYC Civil Court | NYC residential summary proceedings — by far the largest forum (~150,000+ filings/year pre-pandemic) |
| **District Court** (Nassau/Suffolk) | Suburban Long Island residential cases |
| **City Courts** (upstate) | Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, etc. |
| **Town/Village Justice Courts** | Rural and small-town cases |
| **Supreme Court** | Ejectment actions (under CPLR Article 39); complex commercial L&T; rent overcharge |

## Summary proceedings — RPAPL Article 7

The fast-track eviction mechanism. Two main flavors:

### Nonpayment proceeding (RPAPL § 711(2))

For tenants in default on rent. Required predicate:

1. **14-day written demand for rent** (RPL § 711(2); HSTPA-
   amended). Specifies amount due; must be served in writing
   by certified mail, personal delivery, or another
   permissible method.
2. **Petition + Notice of Petition** — RPAPL § 731. Filed in
   Housing Court (NYC) or local L&T court.
3. **Answer**: tenant has **7-10 days** depending on service
   method (RPAPL § 743).

### Holdover proceeding (RPAPL § 711(1))

For tenants whose tenancy has been terminated (lease
expired, breach of lease, etc.). Required predicate:

1. **Notice to vacate / Termination notice**:
   - Month-to-month tenancy: **30 days** if tenant lived
     under 1 year; **60 days** if 1-2 years; **90 days** if
     2+ years (RPL § 226-c, post-HSTPA)
   - For-cause termination: 10-day or 30-day cure notice
     depending on lease and statute
2. **Petition + Notice of Petition** — RPAPL § 731
3. **Answer**: tenant has 7-10 days

## HSTPA 2019 — major reform

L 2019, ch 36. Key changes:

- **Security deposit cap**: 1 month's rent maximum (GOL §
  7-108(1-a))
- **Late fee cap**: $50 or 5%, whichever is less; only after
  5-day grace period (RPL § 238-a(2))
- **Rent-overcharge lookback**: 6 years (RSL § 26-516)
- **Attorney's fees**: bilateral fee shifting where lease
  has unilateral pro-landlord fee clause (RPL § 234)
- **Tenant blacklist**: courts may not maintain a public
  list of L&T defendants (RPAPL § 745-b)
- **Application fees**: capped at $20 (RPL § 238-a)

## Good Cause Eviction Law (2024)

L 2024, ch 56, Part C. NY's first statewide "just-cause"
protection. Key features:

- **Applies to**: most market-rate rentals in NYC + opt-in
  cities/towns (Albany, Newburgh, etc.)
- **Excludes**: small-building owner-occupied; certain
  newly-built; condos and co-ops; rent-regulated (already
  covered)
- **Just-cause grounds** (RPL § 211(2)):
  - Nonpayment
  - Substantial breach
  - Nuisance
  - Withholding access for repairs
  - Illegal use
  - Owner / family use (with conditions)
  - Demolition / substantial rehabilitation
- **Rent-increase limit**: greater of (i) CPI + 5% or
  (ii) 10% — challengable in court (RPL § 213)
- **Notice requirements**: increase notices must reference
  the law's protections (RPL § 214)

## Rent regulation regimes (NYC and certain suburbs)

| Regime | Covered units |
|--------|---------------|
| **Rent Stabilization** | Pre-1974 NYC buildings of 6+ units; certain post-1974 with tax abatements; ~966,000 units in NYC |
| **Rent Control** | NYC pre-1947 buildings with continuous occupancy since 1971; few units remaining |
| **Loft Law (MDL Art 7-C)** | Interim multiple dwellings in commercial buildings; coverage debated |
| **NYCHA / Section 8** | Public housing + voucher tenants; separate rules |
| **Mitchell-Lama** | Limited-equity coops/rentals |

DHCR (Division of Housing and Community Renewal) administers
state-regulated; HCR Tenant Protection Unit enforces.

## RPL § 235-b — Warranty of habitability

Implied in every residential lease. Covers conditions
materially affecting health, safety, or use. Tenants can:

- **Withhold rent** (after notice + opportunity to cure)
- **Repair and deduct** (case law: *Jangla v. Brooklyn Hous.
  & Family Servs.*)
- **Sue for rent abatement** (counterclaim or affirmative
  action)

Common conditions: heat (RPL § 235-b + NYC Admin Code §
27-2029 — 65°F day / 55°F night in winter); hot water
(RPL § 235-b); pests; mold; lead paint (Local Law 1 of
2004); peeling paint (Local Law 31 of 2020 inspection
requirement).

## ERAP — Emergency Rental Assistance Program

A pandemic-era state program providing up to 15 months of
rent to qualifying tenants. **ERAP application creates an
automatic stay** of eviction proceedings under L 2021, ch
56 (as amended). The program reopened periodically; verify
current status before relying on the stay defense.

## NYC right to counsel

NYC Admin Code § 26-1301 (Local Law 136 of 2017) created a
**right to free legal representation** for income-eligible
tenants in housing-court eviction cases. Pro bono lawyers
(through Legal Aid Society, Legal Services NYC, etc.) are
assigned through the Office of Civil Justice. **All NYC
tenants are eligible regardless of income for help
applying** even when over income limits.

## Defenses checklist

| Defense | Authority |
|---------|-----------|
| Defective predicate notice | RPAPL § 711; case law |
| Defective service of petition | RPAPL § 735; CPLR 308 analog |
| Failure to plead landlord-tenant relationship | RPAPL § 741 |
| Rent paid before petition | RPAPL § 711(2) |
| Constructive eviction | RPL § 235-b + common law |
| Breach of warranty of habitability | RPL § 235-b |
| Rent-stabilization defense | RSL + rent registration |
| Retaliatory eviction | RPL § 223-b |
| Discrimination | NYS Human Rights Law (Exec Law § 296); NYC Human Rights Law |
| ERAP stay | L 2021, ch 56 |
| HSTPA cap on application fee / late fee | GOL § 7-108; RPL § 238-a |
| Good Cause Eviction (post-2024) | RPL § 211 et seq. |

## Counterclaims checklist

| Counterclaim | Authority |
|-------------|----------|
| Breach of warranty of habitability (rent abatement) | RPL § 235-b |
| Repair and deduct | Common law |
| Violation of NYC Admin Code (e.g., heat) | NYC Admin Code; private right under § 27-2120 |
| Discrimination | Human Rights Law |
| Harassment | NYC Admin Code § 27-2004 (NYC) |
| Constructive eviction (damages) | Common law |
| Attorney's fees | RPL § 234 (post-HSTPA — even against pro se if lease provides) |

## Reference files

- `references/rpapl-article-7.md` — summary-proceedings text
- `references/hstpa-2019.md` — HSTPA reform digest
- `references/good-cause-eviction-2024.md` — RPL Article
  6-A
- `references/rpl-235-b.md` — warranty of habitability
- `references/rent-regulation.md` — rent stabilization /
  control / Loft Law
- `references/nyc-housing-court.md` — Civil Court Housing
  Part practice
- `references/right-to-counsel.md` — NYC Local Law 136
- `references/erap.md` — emergency rental assistance + stay
- `references/key-cases.md` — controlling precedents
- `references/online-sources-lt.md` — canonical URLs

## Composition with other ny- skills

- `ny-statewide-format` — format baseline (Housing Court
  uses 22 NYCRR Part 208 plus Housing Court-specific local
  rules)
- `ny-first-30-days` — 7-10-day answer triage (RPAPL § 743)
- `ny-discovery` — discovery in summary proceedings is
  available but typically requires court order (RPAPL §
  735(2))
- `ny-county-courts` — NYC Civil Court Housing Part is the
  primary forum
- `ny-pro-se` — pro se practice (most NYC tenants pre-Local
  Law 136 were pro se)