Under New York State’s Rent Regulation Laws, harassment is defined as conduct by a landlord that directly or indirectly interferes with, or is intended to interfere with, your privacy, comfort, and enjoyment of your dwelling.
What are examples of landlord harassment?
Examples of harassment
- threatening to change the locks.
- opening or withholding your post.
- entering your home without permission.
- removing or interfering with your belongings.
- violent or intimidating language or behaviour.
- persistently cutting off gas, water or electricity.
- demands for money that you don’t owe or can’t pay.
How do I file a complaint against a harassment landlord in NY?
You can contact the information and complaint line at the New York State Attorney General’s Office at 800-771-7755. If you live in a building with rent-stabilized units, you can email the Tenant Harassment Protection Task Force (THPT) at [email protected] or call NYSHCR at 866-275-3427 or 718-739-6400.
How do I report a landlord in New York State?
If you are rent-controlled or rent-stabilized, you may file a complaint with NYS Homes & Community Renewal (NYSHCR) at www.hcr.ny.gov. If your complaint is found to be valid, the landlord will be ordered to correct it. Application forms are available at my community office or your local HCR office.
Where can I file a complaint against my landlord?
File a claim at the Small Claims Tribunals
Most forms of landlord-tenant disputes, such as claims for security deposits and unpaid rent, are resolved here. Filing a claim at the Small Claims Tribunals can be done without a lawyer, and is usually more cost-efficient for claims up to $20,000.
Can your landlord shout at you?
If your landlord is making genuine threats to the safety of your well-being, you should file a complaint with the police. If you want to take matters further, you can take it to a small claims court. For free legal advice, I would talk to Citizens Advice.
What is harassment in your home?
Harassment can be any action your landlord takes to deliberately disrupt your life or make you leave your property. Harassment can also be committed by someone else, for example the landlord’s family or letting agent.
Can I sue my landlord for emotional distress in NYC?
The tenant may have options if a landlord’s deliberate or negligent actions cause severe emotional injuries. In that case, they could sue the landlord for emotional distress. They could file on the grounds of intentional infliction of emotional distress.
What can I do if my landlord is abusive?
You could also contact a legal adviser, a Citizens Advice office or Shelter’s housing advice helpline. Your local area may also have other housing or legal advice organisations – your local council, phonebook or library should have details. If physical violence is involved, contact the police.
Do harassment cases go to court?
Taking someone to court for harassment
The court can order the person harassing you to stay away from you – this is called getting an ‘injunction’. The court can also award you compensation. If the person keeps harassing you after you get an injunction, they’ve broken the law – this means they could go to prison.
What a landlord Cannot do in New York?
Discrimination is a big deal in NYC law, and landlords cannot turn people away based on race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or creed. You must talk to a lawyer if you believe you are a victim of discrimination. They cannot force you to leave your home without a written court order.
What are my rights as a tenant in NY State?
New York State laws make it illegal for landlords to engage in any action that is intended to force tenants to leave their homes or otherwise give up their rights under law. This means that your landlord is prohibited from interfering with your privacy, comfort and quiet enjoyment of your home.
How much notice does a landlord have to give in NYS?
90 days
› If you have lived in your apartment two years or more, or if you have a two-year lease, your landlord must provide you with 90 days advance written notice before raising your rent or not renewing your lease.
Can I report my landlord to the police?
Call 101 or your local police station before an illegal eviction happens to let them know you’re at risk. Report any harassment or threats that your landlord has made. The police will probably give advice over the phone. Ask for a crime reference number or CAD number.
Do long term tenants have rights?
the right to register for a ‘fair rent’, which is often significantly lower than the market rent; greater long term security of tenure, so are harder to evict, and. the right to pass the tenancy on to their spouse and, in some circumstances, to family members when they die.
What is breach of tenancy agreement?
A tenant can breach their tenancy agreement deliberately by, for example, failing to pay their rent, refusing access to the property for a periodic visit or refusing to leave the property at the end of the term.
Can the landlord kick you out?
A landlord can evict a tenant from the property only if he or his next of kin want to reside there or the unit needs repair that might be harmful for anyone living there.
Can a landlord evict you without a court order?
Your landlord doesn’t need a possession order from the court to evict you, but they can get one if they choose to. You’ll be trespassing if you stay in the accommodation without your landlord’s permission after the notice period has ended.
Can a landlord evict you for no reason?
No, a landlord cannot just kick you out. They need to follow the formal eviction process provided in your state. If a landlord uses illegal self-help measures, such as changing the locks or throwing out your belongings, you should be able to hold the landlord accountable and remain on the property.
How can you prove harassment?
To prove your case, you need evidence. If you’re experiencing harassment, your best course of action is to document everything. If a coworker makes an offensive remark to you, write down what was said, who was present, and when it occurred.
What qualifies as a harassment charge?
The law states that harassment is when a person behaves in a way which is intended to cause you distress or alarm. The behaviour must happen on more than one occasion. It can be the same type of behaviour or different types of behaviour on each occasion.