Landlord Harassment and Retaliation in New York

Document conduct, not labels

Instead of writing only “my landlord is harassing me,” record the exact act, date, time, witness, statement, entry, shutoff, notice, or threat. Specific evidence is more useful to a court, agency, or attorney.

Examples to track

• Repeated unlawful entry or threats of entry.
• Threats tied to repair complaints or agency reports.
• Pressure to surrender a regulated apartment.
• Service interruptions intended to force a move.
• Discriminatory or immigration-related threats.
• False or repeated notices used as pressure.

Retaliation

New York law can protect tenants from certain retaliatory conduct after good-faith complaints to the landlord or government agencies. Whether the protection applies depends on the facts and timing.