NY Landlord Compliance — What You Must Know
- Source-of-income protection (NY State + NYC): illegal to refuse Section 8, CityFHEPS, SSDI, child-support, or veteran benefits.
- Application fees: capped at $20 per applicant. No "processing fees" allowed beyond this.
- Security deposits: capped at 1 month's rent. Must be returned within 14 days of move-out with itemized deductions.
- Broker fee disclosure (NYC, 2024+): if landlord hires the broker, landlord pays the fee — not the tenant.
- Rent stabilization: applies to pre-1974 buildings with 6+ units. Verify status before listing rent.
- Written denial reason: if you reject an applicant, you must provide written reason within 30 days.
Find Your Neighborhood
Queens
Long Island — Nassau County
Long Island — Suffolk County
Tenant Screening Standards
Standard NY-compliant tenant screening includes:
- Credit report pull (typical minimum: 650 for market-rate; lower with co-signer or higher security)
- Employment verification (current employer + last position)
- Income verification — typically 40x monthly rent annually for 1 tenant, 36x combined for 2+
- 2 prior-landlord references
- Government-issued ID
We screen consistently across all applicants per NY's anti-discrimination requirements.