Resources

What do you do if your rental unit your rental unit has issues, repairs, or infestations that your landlord isn’t addressing? YOU HAVE RIGHTS! Learn more about the Warranty of Habitability and what your options are when there are violations.

Under the Warranty of Habitability, your landlord MUST provide a safe place to live.

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If you’re experiencing any issues that violate this warranty, it’s helpful to keep a log of the conditions with dates, times, and information about the notice given to the landlord, in case you need to take further action. The attached chart is a handy guide to help you keep all this information in one place!

Housing stock across WNY tends to be on the older side, and many of these buildings may still contain lead paint. Per the Lead Disclosure Rule, landlords in New York State must tell tenants if the rental unit has any paint that has lead in it (called lead-based paint), and about any lead-based paint hazards that the landlord knows about. Learn more about what type of information must be disclosed, what types of housing are covered by this rule, and what are the consequences if a landlord does not disclose the required information.

What are your options if your apartment needs repairs and your landlord refuses to make them? If you need to make the repairs yourself, you may be able to deduct the cost of the repairs from your rent, but be sure to ALWAYS CONSULT AN ATTORNEY FIRST! Learn more about your options.

In New York State, your landlord is required to keep your home a safe and decent place to live. Learn more about your rights when your apartment conditions are bad or uninhabitable, including if a you can withhold rent.

In New York State, every residential lease or rental agreement contains a guarantee that your landlord will rent out a safe place to live. This guarantee is called the Warranty of Habitability. A tenant may bring up the warranty of habitability in an eviction proceeding, or as a separate claim against the landlord.

Learn more about warrants of habitability, how to schedule a warrant of habitability hearing, and how tenants may use it as a defense in an eviction proceeding.

Winter can be rough in WNY, and with cold weather comes potential damages due to frozen pipes, furnace issues, and more! Learn more about your rights, what to do if you need repairs, and find resources for further assistance.

If there are things wrong with your apartment that may be dangerous to your health and safety, you may want to have your apartment inspected. Learn more about when you may want to contact the health department or a building inspector to have your apartment inspected and what is involved in such inspections.