Rent increases in New York

A landlord who offers renewal with a rent increase of 5% or more must give written notice 30, 60 or 90 days ahead depending on occupancy or lease length (whichever is longer). If notice is late, the old terms continue until the full notice period runs from the actual notice. For month-to-month tenants, the landlord may terminate on the same timeline if the tenant does not agree to the new rent. (RPL § 226-c; § 232-a)

• The notice must be in writing.

Earliest date the new rent can start, with rent due on the 1st, worked out from the New York rule above:

• For a month-to-month tenant of 1 year raising rent 5%: Friday, January 1, 2027
• For a month-to-month tenant of 3 years raising rent 12%: Sunday, January 31, 2027
• For a week-to-week tenant raising rent 5%: Wednesday, December 2, 2026

No statute addresses raising rent during a lease; § 226-c governs notice for renewals. (RPL § 226-c)

Rent stabilization applies only where adopted under the Emergency Tenant Protection Act; since June 15, 2019 any locality may opt in after declaring a housing emergency. The Good Cause Eviction law applies in NYC and in municipalities that opt in by local law. (NY AG Tenants' Rights Guide; RPL §§ 212-213)

• New York City (rent stabilization): Rent Guidelines Board Order #58: 0% for 1-year and 0% for 2-year leases starting Oct 1, 2026 through Sept 30, 2027.
• New York City (Good Cause Eviction): For covered unregulated units, an increase above the local rent standard (5% + CPI, max 10%) is presumptively unreasonable. DHCR's 2026 CPI for NYC-area is 3.38%, so the standard is 8.38%. Exempt: units renting above 245% of HUD fair market rent, and small landlords (10 or fewer units).
• Good Cause opt-in municipalities: Albany, Beacon, Binghamton, Hudson, Ithaca, Kingston, Middletown, New Rochelle, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie (city and town), Rochester, White Plains, Fishkill, Catskill, Croton-on-Hudson, New Paltz, Nyack and Tarrytown (as of May 4, 2026). Standard: 5% + CPI (3.38% in Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Westchester; 3.15% Northeast elsewhere), max 10%. Each opt-in town sets its own exemptions: most exempt units renting above 345% of HUD fair market rent (Kingston 300%, Catskill 275%, Middletown and Rochester 245%) and define a small landlord as owning no more than one unit statewide (White Plains: four).
• Nassau, Rockland, Westchester counties: Local Rent Guidelines Boards set yearly maximum increases for rent-stabilized units in localities that adopted the ETPA.

A landlord may not retaliate by notice to quit, eviction or substantially changing the tenancy (including offering a renewal with an unreasonable rent increase) after good-faith complaints, enforcing rights, or tenant-organization activity. Action within 1 year creates a rebuttable presumption of retaliation. Applies to all rentals except owner-occupied buildings with fewer than 4 units. (RPL § 223-b)

• Until June 15, 2034 the § 226-c notice must also say whether the unit is covered by the Good Cause Eviction law and, if it is, justify any increase above the local rent standard.
• Increases under 5% need no § 226-c notice.
• Rent-controlled tenants: increase limited to the average of the last five RGB 1-year increases or 7.5%, whichever is less (AG guide).

Security deposit

No more than one month's rent (GOL § 7-108(1-a)(a)), so a landlord can't take both last month's rent and a deposit. Seasonal-use units and owner-occupied cooperative apartments are excepted. If the rent goes up, the landlord may top the deposit up to the new monthly rent. Return deadline: 14 days after move-out.

Tenant's notice to move out

1 month, ending with a rental period (Outside New York City); Varies (see rule) (New York City)

Notice for unpaid rent

14 days (pay or move out)

How a written notice is delivered (eviction-notice rules)

The 14-day rent demand must be served in the manner for a notice of petition: personal delivery; or delivery to a person of suitable age and discretion who lives or works at the property; or, if no one can be found, affixing to a conspicuous part of the property or sliding under the entrance door — and for substituted or conspicuous service, also mailing within one day by both certified or registered mail and regular first-class mail (RPAPL §§ 711(2), 735(1)).

Notice for other lease violations

Varies

Small claims court limit

$10,000 — where most deposit and rent disputes are filed.

Repairs

Time to repair: A reasonable time. Repair and deduct: allowed with limits; withholding rent: allowed with limits.

Deposit kept wrongly

A violator owes actual damages. A willful violation adds punitive damages of up to twice the deposit (GOL § 7-108(1-a)(g)).

Lawful reasons to end a lease early

Domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking; Age, illness or disability; Military service (state law); Unit unlivable or landlord fails to repair

• RPL § 226-c Retrieved October 15, 2026.
• RPL § 232-a Retrieved October 15, 2026.
• RPL § 232-b Retrieved October 15, 2026.
• RPL § 223-b Retrieved October 15, 2026.
• RPL § 211 Retrieved October 15, 2026.
• DHCR Good Cause Eviction Law Notice (Aug. 2026) Retrieved October 15, 2026.
• NYS HCR Good Cause Eviction Retrieved October 15, 2026.
• NY AG Residential Tenants' Rights Guide Retrieved October 15, 2026.
• NYC RGB Order #58 Retrieved October 15, 2026.

Laws change. This page was checked against the sources above on October 15, 2026. It is legal information, not legal advice; for a dispute, contact your state's legal aid. See our methodology.