To report a landlord in New York, file a complaint with the agency that handles your specific problem: local code enforcement or HPD (via 311 in New York City) for habitability issues, Homes and Community Renewal for rent-regulated apartments, the Division of Human Rights for discrimination, and the Attorney General for harassment or fraud. The right agency plus solid documentation is what turns a complaint into a fix.
Match the Problem to the Right Agency
Filing in the wrong place is the most common reason a complaint stalls. Start by identifying which category your problem falls into.
No Heat, Pests, Mold, Leaks, or Other Habitability Problems
Every residential lease in New York — written or oral — carries a warranty of habitability, meaning your landlord must keep the apartment fit for living and free of conditions dangerous to health or safety. You cannot be made to waive it.1New York State Senate. New York Real Property Law 235-B – Warranty of Habitability
Heat complaints are among the fastest to get results. From October 1 through May 31, your landlord must keep the apartment at a minimum of 68°F between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. when the outside temperature drops below 55°F, and at least 55°F overnight when it falls below 40°F outside.2New York State Senate. New York Multiple Dwelling Law 79 – Heating
For habitability complaints, the route depends on where you live. In New York City, call 311 or use the 311 Online portal to reach the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). HPD suggests contacting your landlord first, but if there’s no response, file immediately.3NYC.gov. Report a Quality or Safety Issue – HPD Outside the city, your town or county building or housing inspector handles the same role.
Rent Overcharges, Lease Renewals, and Regulated-Apartment Issues
If your apartment is rent-stabilized, rent-controlled, or Mitchell-Lama, the Office of Rent Administration at Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) handles overcharge complaints, decreased-service claims, lease renewal failures, and harassment complaints tied to regulated status.4New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Office of Rent Administration
File online through HCR’s Rent Connect portal, which is the recommended method, or download and mail a paper form.5New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Tenant Resources The forms most tenants need:
- Form RA-89 for a rent overcharge in a rent-stabilized apartment
- Form RA-89C for a rent overcharge in a rent-controlled apartment
- Form RA-90 for a landlord’s failure to renew a lease or provide a signed copy
- Form RA-60H for harassment
The full set of tenant forms is available on HCR’s site.6New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Tenant/Owner Forms
Discrimination
New York’s Human Rights Law prohibits housing discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, marital status, military status, familial status, status as a victim of domestic violence, and lawful source of income.7New York State Senate. New York Executive Law 296 – Unlawful Discriminatory Practices The state list is broader than federal fair housing law, so conduct that wouldn’t violate federal rules can still be illegal in New York.
File with the New York State Division of Human Rights online or through a regional office.8Division of Human Rights. Report Discrimination For incidents on or after February 15, 2024, you have three years to file. Earlier incidents fall under the previous one-year deadline.9Division of Human Rights. Governor Hochul Announces New Statute of Limitations for Unlawful Discrimination
Harassment, Illegal Eviction, or Fraud
The Attorney General’s office investigates harassment, security deposit disputes, illegal evictions, predatory landlords, and housing-related consumer fraud.10New York State Attorney General. Tenants and Homeowners This is the right place when the misconduct reaches beyond a single apartment — a pattern of harassment across a building, for instance, or deceptive practices affecting many tenants. File through the AG’s housing complaint page.11New York State Attorney General. File a Complaint – Housing and Real Estate Unlawful eviction carries civil penalties of $1,000 to $5,000 per violation statewide.
Security Deposit Not Returned
Your landlord must return your deposit with an itemized statement of any deductions within 14 days after you move out. Missing that deadline means the landlord forfeits the right to keep any portion. A willful violation exposes the landlord to punitive damages of up to twice the deposit.12New York State Senate. New York General Obligations Law 7-108 – Deposits Made by Tenants of Non-Rent Stabilized Dwelling Units Security deposit disputes usually move faster through small claims court than through an agency complaint.
Lead Paint Disclosure
If you rented a pre-1978 apartment and your landlord never disclosed known lead hazards or gave you the required EPA pamphlet, you can report the violation directly to the EPA through its regional lead complaint form.13U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Report Lead-Based Paint Complaints, Tips and Violations
Gather Evidence Before You File
Every agency processes complaints faster when they arrive with clear documentation. What you submit often decides whether the complaint produces action or sits in a queue. Pull together:
- Your lease and any riders. For regulated apartments, this establishes the legal rent.
- Rent payment records: bank statements, cancelled checks, or receipts showing what you actually paid and when.
- Dated photos and video of the conditions. For heat complaints, a thermometer reading beside a window showing weather works well.
- Every email, text, and letter with your landlord or management. If you complained verbally, send a follow-up message summarizing what was said so a written record exists.
- A timeline: when the condition started, when you reported it, how the landlord responded, and any follow-up.
Keep the originals and submit copies. If the agency asks for more information mid-investigation, organized records let you respond in days instead of weeks.
What Happens After You File
HPD Complaints
After a 311 or HPD complaint, HPD contacts the managing agent and may schedule an inspection. If the inspector confirms a violation, the landlord gets a notice with a correction deadline set by the severity class:
- Class A (non-hazardous): 90 days to correct
- Class B (hazardous): 30 days to correct
- Class C (immediately hazardous): 24 hours for most conditions, with no time allowed for heat and hot water failures
Lead paint, window guard violations, mold, and pest infestations classified as Class C carry a 21-day correction period. Landlords who miss the deadline face civil penalties, inspection fees, and emergency repairs billed back by the city. Falsely certifying a repair keeps the violation open, triggers additional penalties, and can put the landlord on a certification watchlist.14NYC.gov. Clear Violations – HPD
HCR Overcharge Complaints
If HCR finds an overcharge, it can order the rent lowered to the legal amount and require a refund. A willful overcharge triggers treble damages — three times the overcharge amount.15New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Rent Increases and Rent Overcharge Once HCR issues the final order, you can collect either by offset (deducting the overcharge from future rent) or by pursuing a court judgment. Collection can’t start until the final order sets the legal rent and the penalty.
When Housing Court Is a Better Route
If 311 calls and HPD violations haven’t fixed the problem, a New York City tenant can file an HP proceeding in Housing Court, which asks a judge to order the landlord to make repairs. It carries more force than an HPD violation on its own.
Send your landlord written notice of the conditions first and keep a copy. Then go to the Housing Court clerk in the borough where your apartment is located with the landlord’s or managing agent’s name and address. The clerk provides an Order to Show Cause and a Verified Petition listing the conditions. You can request an HPD inspection at the same time using a Tenant’s Request for Inspection.16NY Courts. Starting a HP Proceeding to Obtain Repairs A filing fee applies, though fee waivers are available. After the clerk sets a hearing date, you serve the papers on the landlord and HPD by the method specified in the Order to Show Cause, usually certified mail with return receipt.
For money-only disputes — an unreturned security deposit, an overcharge outside the regulated system, damage caused by neglect — small claims court is often the most direct path. New York small claims handles cases up to $10,000, and you cannot split a larger claim into smaller ones to fit under the cap.17NY Courts. Small Claims Court – In General You don’t need a lawyer, and filing fees are modest.
Your Landlord Cannot Retaliate
Many tenants hesitate to file because they expect an eviction notice or a rent hike in return. New York law addresses that directly. A landlord cannot start eviction proceedings, raise your rent illegally, or cut services in retaliation for a good-faith complaint to the landlord or any government agency.18New York State Senate. New York Real Property Law 223-B – Retaliation by Landlord Against Tenant
Any adverse action taken within one year of your complaint is presumed retaliatory. The landlord carries the burden of proving a legitimate, non-retaliatory reason.18New York State Senate. New York Real Property Law 223-B – Retaliation by Landlord Against Tenant Retaliation can serve as a defense in eviction proceedings and can also support a separate complaint. If your landlord suddenly stops making repairs, sends notices, or tries to change your lease terms shortly after you file, the timeline itself is evidence.
Free Legal Help
New York City tenants facing eviction in Housing Court or NYCHA administrative proceedings have access to free legal representation regardless of immigration status under the city’s Right to Counsel program. Services are available in every ZIP code through nonprofit legal providers across the five boroughs.19NYC.gov. Right to Counsel Call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline, or reach Housing Court Answers at 718-557-1379.
Outside the city, help is less centralized but still available through local legal aid societies and tenant advocacy groups, many of which handle habitability complaints, security deposit disputes, and eviction defense. HCR’s tenant resources page and the Attorney General’s office both maintain referral information for tenants across the state.