Tenant Harassment

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

Under New York State law, residential evictions and eviction cases in Housing Court are suspended through February 26, 2021, and tenants who have experienced financial hardship or for whom moving from their home would pose a hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic, including those who were facing an eviction proceeding or who received a judgment or warrant of eviction, may not be evicted through May 1, 2021 by providing a completed Hardship Declaration to their landlord. 

You can download a Hardship Declaration in English or in Spanish.

Residential tenants may also have protections under an order from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although these protections may prevent a landlord from evicting a tenant, a landlord can still file a proceeding against a tenant in Housing Court and a court can still allow the landlord to take other legal action to collect unpaid rent from the tenant. The Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT) Tenant Help Line is available to answer questions about your tenancy and whether the orders or law may apply to you, and to connect you with free legal services through the Human Resources Administration’s Office of Civil Justice. For more information, go to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Tenants page. 

If you are facing eviction in Housing Court or a NYCHA administrative proceeding, you may be eligible for free legal services under the City’s Right-to-Counsel law. The Right to Counsel program, also known as Universal Access to Counsel, is now available citywide. To find out if you are eligible for this program, contact the City’s Tenant Helpline. For more information, go to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Tenants page.

If you received an eviction notice before March 16, 2020, your landlord must file a motion and get permission from the housing court to evict you. If you receive a motion like this, or if you receive a warrant of eviction, HRA’s Office of Civil Justice can provide free legal services under the City’s Right-to-Counsel law to help you with your case. You can contact the City’s Tenant Helpline to connect with free legal services. For more information, go to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Tenants page.

If you are facing an eviction case that was filed on or before March 16, 2020 (pre-COVID), the case may proceed only if the Housing Court holds a status or settlement conference with the parties. If you received a notice that your eviction case is scheduled for a conference, HRA’s Office of Civil Justice can provide free legal services under the City’s Right-to-Counsel law to help you with your case. You can contact the City’s Tenant Helpline to connect with free legal services. For more information, go to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Tenants page.

Eviction

You cannot be evicted for nonpayment or any other reason unless the court has issued a Warrant of Eviction. Only a Marshal or Sheriff can carry out a warrant and remove tenants from their home. Landlords cannot lock out tenants.

If you are in an immediate housing crisis or need eviction prevention services, please visit the Eviction Prevention and HomeBase page.

If you have questions about the eviction moratorium, the COVID financial hardship law, or other legal issues, you can contact the City’s Tenant Helpline. The Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT) can help you with questions about your tenancy and connect you with free legal assistance through the Human Resources Administration’s Office of Civil Justice. For more information, go to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Tenants page.

Tenant Harassment

If you are a tenant in an apartment in New York City who is being harassed by your landlord, the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants is here to assist. For more information, go to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Tenants page. 

Discrimination

Your landlord cannot harass or discriminate against you, kick you out, or ask you to leave your apartment because of fears or stigma around COVID-19, including harassment or discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, national origin, disability, or other protected classes.

If this is happening to you, you can report it to the NYC Commission on Human Rights. To learn more, go to the Discrimination page.

It is illegal for building owners to force tenants to leave their apartments or surrender their rights. If you are a tenant in an apartment in New York City who is being harassed by your landlord, you can get information and help. Free legal assistance is available to low-income tenants who are being harassed.

The harassment of tenants can include:

  • Not offering leases or lease renewals.
  • Repeatedly trying to pay you to move out (aka buyouts: rent-regulated tenants can reject buyout offers and continue to live in their home. If you are offered a buyout, there are certain rules that the property owner has to follow when making the offer.)
  • Unjustified eviction notices or illegal lockouts.
  • Threats and intimidation, such as late-night phone calls.
  • Discrimination on the basis of immigration status.
  • Overcharging for a rent-regulated apartment.
  • Repeated interruptions of essential services, such as heat, water, or electricity.
  • Failure to provide necessary repairs on reported conditions.
  • Deliberately causing construction-related problems for tenants, such as working after hours, blocking entrances, or failing to remove excessive dust or debris.

You should first report apartment and building conditions or lack of services to the property owner or agent. If they fail to make the needed repairs, you should file a maintenance complaint with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and construction-related conditions to the Department of Buildings (DOB).

You should explore legal assistance options, whether or not the harassment involves maintenance or construction issues.

    Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

    Tenant Harassment

    If you are a tenant in an apartment in New York City who is being harassed by your landlord, the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants is here to assist.

    For more information, go to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Tenants page. 

    Rental and cooperative building owners must keep your apartment unit and building in livable condition and provide needed repairs. 

    If they don’t, you can report a maintenance problem affecting an apartment, a public area, or an entire building to HPD and you can also report that the property owner is harassing you using these tactics.

    Some examples of apartment and building-wide related harassment include, but are not limited to:

    Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

    Tenant Harassment

    If you are a tenant in an apartment in New York City who is being harassed by your landlord, the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants is here to assist.

    For more information, including tenant rights, questions about leases, and legal referrals, go to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Tenants page.

    If you are a tenant living in a building while construction work is ongoing, the building’s owner is required to post or distribute a Tenant Protection Plan notice and a Safe Construction Bill of Rights. These notices inform tenants about the permits issued, the work scheduled to be conducted, and amenities or essential service interruptions. To report a notice not posted, go to the Safe Construction for Tenants page.

    Also, if you believe the property is not making repairs to the elevator as a means of harassment, you can report that to the Department of Buildings.

    Some examples of building construction-related harassment include:

    You can report a property owner who is using these methods to harass you to leave your apartment.

    Call 311 for assistance.

    Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

    Housing Court is only hearing essential or emergency applications on cases and continuing trials that were started before 5 PM on March 16, 2020. All other matters will be adjourned for approximately 45 days. All parties will be notified by mail. For more information, go to Housing Court for Tenants and Landlords page.

    Housing Court provides information about Court procedures, landlord/tenant rules and regulations, enforcement of housing code violations.

    For Housing Court locations, use the Housing Court for Tenants and Landlords page.

    • Agency: New York Courts
    • Division: Housing Court
    • Phone Number: (646) 386-5750
    • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM
    • Staff is available through the automated phone system during business hours.

    If you live in a rent-controlled or rent-stabilized apartment, you can get more information and file a harassment complaint with New York State Homes and Community Renewal (NYSHCR):

    Online

    Submit an inquiry to NYS Homes and Community Renewal Tenant Protection Unit.

    Visit the NYSHCR website.

    By Email

    TPUinfo@nyshcr.org

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