If you’re locked out of your apartment in NYC, your next move depends on why. Lost your keys? Call your building’s superintendent or management office for a spare, and use a locksmith only if nobody from the building answers. Came home to find the locks changed by your landlord? Call 911. That’s a crime in New York, and you have the right to be put back inside no matter what dispute your landlord claims you have.
Lost Your Keys
Try the super first. Most NYC buildings have one on-site or on call, they usually keep spare keys, and you’ll be back inside in minutes at no cost. Start with the management office, then the super’s personal number if you have it.
If nobody from the building is reachable, you’ll need a locksmith, and this is where people get burned. Locksmith scams are rampant in New York. The pattern is a suspiciously low phone quote of $15 to $40, followed by a much bigger bill once the technician shows up and claims the job turned out to be more complicated. A legitimate emergency lockout in NYC typically runs $150 to $350 depending on the lock and the time of day.
A few things to check before you call. A real locksmith answers the phone with a specific business name, not a generic “locksmith services.” Ask for a firm price range on the phone and get it in writing when the technician arrives. They should show ID, ask to see yours to confirm you live there, and be able to pick or decode most locks without drilling. If the first move is to drill or replace the lock, that’s a red flag. You’re paying for an accidental lockout out of pocket, so five minutes of vetting can save you a few hundred dollars.
If Your Landlord Changed the Locks
If you come home to swapped locks, your belongings in the hallway, or your heat, water, or electricity shut off, your landlord has almost certainly broken the law. Don’t try to force your way in. Instead:
- Call 911. NYC 311 specifically tells tenants in this situation to call 911, not just the local precinct. Tell the officers you’ve been illegally locked out of your home.1NYC311. Illegal Eviction or Lockout
- Show proof you live there. A lease, a utility bill, government mail, or a photo ID with your address all help. The more you have, the easier it is for police to act.
- Document everything. Photograph the new locks, any belongings outside, any notice the landlord posted. Note the date and time. This evidence matters later.
Police can sometimes restore you to the apartment on the spot. The New York Attorney General’s guidance to law enforcement says the goal of any intervention should be getting the tenant back into their home when legally warranted.2New York State Attorney General. Unlawful Evictions (RPAPL Section 768) In practice, some officers treat it as a civil matter and send both sides to court. If that happens, Housing Court is your next step.
Why It’s Illegal
Two overlapping laws in New York, NYC Administrative Code § 26-521 and Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law § 768, make it illegal for a landlord to lock you out, remove your belongings, cut off essential services like heat, water, or electricity, or use threats to push you out.3NYCOURTS.GOV. Illegal Eviction Law These protections cover anyone who has lived in an apartment for at least 30 consecutive days, written lease or not.4New York State Senate. New York Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law 768 – Unlawful Eviction
Once you ask to be let back in, the landlord has an affirmative duty to take all reasonable steps to restore access. If they committed the lockout, knew about it, or it happened within the prior seven days, they’re on the hook, with additional penalties stacking for every day they delay.4New York State Senate. New York Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law 768 – Unlawful Eviction
The only lawful way to remove a tenant in New York is a formal eviction case that ends with a judge issuing a warrant of eviction, carried out by a city marshal or sheriff.5Homes and Community Renewal. Eviction Missed rent, lease violations, overstaying — none of it lets the landlord skip that process.
Getting Restored Through Housing Court
If police won’t resolve the lockout, go to the Housing Court in your borough as soon as it opens. You’ll file an Order to Show Cause, which is an emergency request asking a judge to put you back in the apartment.6NYCOURTS.GOV. Illegal Lock-outs The clerk’s office provides the forms: a petition and an affidavit where you describe what happened. You don’t need a lawyer to file, though it helps to have one.
Bring every piece of evidence you have — lease, rent receipts, utility bills, mail addressed to you at the apartment, and the photos of the changed locks or displaced belongings. The clerk witnesses your completed paperwork, assigns a hearing date usually within one or two days, and submits the papers to a judge.6NYCOURTS.GOV. Illegal Lock-outs Come back on the hearing date with your copy of the papers, proof you served the landlord, and anything else that helps your case. Each borough has its own Housing Court; contact information is in the NYC Courts online directory.7NYCOURTS.GOV. New York City Civil Court Directory
Locked Out at Night or on a Weekend
Housing Court is closed evenings, weekends, and holidays. If your lockout happens outside business hours, call 911 first — officers can sometimes restore you that night. If they can’t, file your petition at the courthouse the next business day. In the meantime, save every receipt for hotel stays, food, and other emergency expenses. Those costs become part of your damages claim.
Free Legal Help
Several free resources are available to NYC tenants dealing with lockouts:
- Housing Court Answers: 718-557-1379 or 212-962-4795, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- 311 Tenant Helpline: call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline for referrals to legal services.
- HRA Office of Civil Justice: email civiljustice@hra.nyc.gov with your name, phone number, and court case index number if you have one.
The city also partners with nonprofit law offices that give free help to tenants.8NYC.gov. Legal Services for Tenants – HRA NYC’s Universal Access to Legal Services program guarantees free attorneys for tenants in certain eviction cases if household income is below set thresholds — the cutoff for a single person is $29,160 per year. Illegal lockout cases aren’t explicitly listed in that program, but the organizations it funds often handle them, so it’s worth calling.
What Your Landlord Can Be Made to Pay
An illegal lockout carries criminal, civil, and financial consequences, which is why documenting everything matters.
Criminal Charges
An unlawful eviction is a Class A misdemeanor in New York. Anyone who intentionally locks out a tenant or helps carry it out can face up to 364 days in jail.9New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 70.15 – Sentences of Imprisonment for Misdemeanors Each separate act — changing the locks, shutting off heat, removing belongings — counts as its own offense.4New York State Senate. New York Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law 768 – Unlawful Eviction
Civil Penalties
On top of criminal exposure, the landlord faces civil fines of $1,000 to $10,000 per violation. If they fail to restore you after you request it, an additional penalty of up to $100 per day accrues from the date you asked until you’re actually back inside.4New York State Senate. New York Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law 768 – Unlawful Eviction A landlord who stalls for two months could owe over $6,000 in daily fines alone.
Treble Damages
A Housing Court judge can award you up to three times your actual financial losses under Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law § 853.10New York State Senate. New York Code RPA 853 – Action for Forcible or Unlawful Entry or Detainer; Treble Damages Spend $2,000 on a hotel, lose $500 in damaged belongings, and run up $300 in other expenses, and the court could award up to $8,400. Track every dollar you spend because of the lockout: hotel receipts, replacement clothes, food costs above normal, storage fees. All of it feeds the damages calculation.
Somewhere to Stay in the Meantime
If you can’t get back in right away, a basic NYC hotel room typically costs at least $110 per night, and the total climbs fast if the case takes several days. Keep every receipt. These are recoverable as part of your damages.
For tenants who can’t afford emergency lodging, the federal Emergency Solutions Grants program funds local organizations that provide short-term rental assistance and housing stability services to people facing sudden displacement.11HUD Exchange. ESG Requirements Eligible assistance includes security deposits, utility payments, moving costs, and temporary rent. Call 311 and ask about emergency housing assistance, or reach out to a community organization in your borough. Eligibility varies by program, so apply as soon as you can rather than waiting until your own money runs out.