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Renting, credit & your rights
Straight answers for renters and landlords in New York. Everything here is free and open — no account needed.
NYC Tenant Rights 2026: Fees, Repairs, Deposits
The $20 application-fee cap, FARE Act broker fees, deposit limits, repairs and eviction protections: what NYC landlords can and cannot do.
Read guide → CreditDoes Renting Build Credit? Rent Reporting & Your Score
Does renting an apartment build credit? Not automatically — here's why your rent usually doesn't count, and the ways to make it start counting toward your score.
Read guide → Renter rightsHow to Get Your Apartment Application Fee Waived (Any State, 2026)
Which states cap or ban application fees in 2026, and 5 real ways to get yours waived — from NYC's $20 cap to California's screening-fee limit to New Jersey's new $50 cap.
Read guide → CreditHow Rent Reporting Works & Builds Your Credit (2026 Guide)
How rent reporting works, which credit bureaus and scores actually count it, and how to start reporting your on-time payments in 2026.
Read guide → LeasingFree New York Lease Template + Required Riders (2026 PDF)
Download a free New York lease agreement and the NYC rider forms (lead paint, bedbug history, window guard), plus a checklist of every required disclosure to attach. No sign-up needed.
Read guide → LeasingRent reporting & the law in New York
What New York and California require of landlords who offer rent reporting — and what is still just proposed.
Read guide → Renter rightsHow to rent an apartment in NYC with no credit history
New to the US, young, or credit-invisible? Here's exactly how to rent in New York without a credit score — and how to prove you're reliable instead.
Read guide → Renter rightsThe FARE Act: who pays the broker fee in NYC now
Since June 2025, New York City tenants generally no longer pay the broker fee on landlord-listed apartments. Here's how the FARE Act works.
Read guide → Renter rightsNo Guarantor for Your NYC Apartment? 5 Real Alternatives (2026)
Don't have a guarantor who earns 80x the rent? Guarantor services, larger deposits, prepaid rent, and a verified profile that proves you're reliable — with real trade-offs for each.
Read guide → CreditBest rent reporting services in 2026: NY review
A straight comparison of rent reporting options — prices, which bureaus, and the honest truth most reviews won't tell you about credit scores.
Read guide → Renter rightsNYC renter toolkit: official links to bookmark
A curated set of official, free NYC and NYS resources — housing agencies, legal aid, credit reports, and how to look up who really owns a building.
Read guide → LeasingThe NYC small-landlord law survival kit (2026)
The New York rules a small landlord must get right in 2026 — fee caps, the FARE Act, the blacklist ban, Fair Chance, Good Cause, and rent reporting — in one place.
Read guide → Renter rightsRent in NYC With No SSN or Credit History (2026)
Use an ITIN, IDNYC or passport, bank statements and guarantor alternatives: how newcomers rent in New York without a Social Security number or US credit history.
Read guide → Renter rightsSource-of-income & voucher rights for NYC renters
It is illegal in NYC to refuse a renter because they use a housing voucher or other lawful income. Know your rights.
Read guide → Renter rightsRent stabilization in NYC, explained
What rent stabilization is, how to tell if your apartment is covered, and the rights it gives you.
Read guide → LeasingHow eviction legally works in NYC (landlord guide)
The lawful nonpayment and holdover process, the required notices, and the illegal shortcuts that can cost a landlord dearly.
Read guide → Renter rightsProof of Income to Rent in NYC: What Landlords Accept
Pay stubs, bank statements, tax returns, 1099s or an offer letter: what NYC landlords accept, the 40x rent rule, and a free application checklist.
Read guide → Renter helpHow to Get Your NYC Security Deposit Back
New York gives renters strong deposit protections: an itemized return within 14 days, or the landlord can forfeit it. Step-by-step guide to getting your money back.
Read guide → Renter helpNo heat or hot water? NYC heat law and next steps
During heat season (Oct 1–May 31), NYC landlords must keep your home warm. Here's the exact law, how to document it, and how to force action fast.
Read guide → Renter helpLocked out by your landlord? Illegal lockouts in NYC
It is illegal — and a crime — for a NYC landlord to change your locks, remove your things, or shut off utilities to force you out. Here's what to do right now.
Read guide → Renter helpLandlord won't make repairs? Force it in NYC
The warranty of habitability guarantees a livable home. Here's how to document problems, use 311 and HPD, and take a landlord to housing court.
Read guide → Renter helpLandlord harassment in NYC: your rights
Harassing you to push you out is illegal in NYC. Learn what counts as harassment, how to document it, and where to report it.
Read guide → Renter helpGot an eviction notice? A NYC tenant's next steps
An eviction notice is not an eviction. Here's what the notice means, your right to stay, free legal help, and exactly what to do first.
Read guide → Renter helpNYC rent increase rules: how much can rent go up?
Rent-stabilized, Good Cause, or market-rate — how much your landlord can raise your rent, and the advance notice they must give.
Read guide → Renter helpIllegal broker or application fee refund (NYC)
NYC caps application fees at $20 and the FARE Act shifted broker fees off renters. If you were overcharged, here's how to get a refund.
Read guide → Renter rightsNo Credit Check Apartments in NYC: What's Real
What "no credit check" really means in NYC, the legitimate ways to get approved without a score, your rights, and how to spot rental scams.
Read guide → Renter helpHow to Avoid Rental Apartment Scams in NYC
Spot fake listings, wire-deposit and overpayment scams, and phantom sublets in NYC. Verify any landlord with the free owner lookup and ACRIS before you ever pay.
Read guide → Renter rightsSubletting and 二房东 in NYC: your rights
Renting from a NYC 二房东 or sub-landlord? Legal vs. illegal sublets, RPL §226-b rights, deposit protection, and the scam red flags to watch for.
Read guide → Renter helpRenting in Brooklyn, NYC: A Practical 2026 Guide
A Brooklyn renter's guide to neighborhoods, rents, scams, thin-credit and ITIN applications, broker fees under the FARE Act, the $20 fee cap, and tenant rights.
Read guide → Rent CertificateRent Certificate: Verified Proof of Your Rent-Payment History
A real, bank-verified, QR-checkable PDF proof of your on-time rent history — for SNAP and public benefits, taxes, visas, loans, eviction defense, or a new landlord. Free from your CertRent dashboard.
Read guide → Renter rightsEnding a Lease Early for Domestic Violence or Safety Reasons (NY)
New York law lets survivors of domestic violence, sexual offenses, stalking, or human trafficking end a lease early without penalty. Here's how the process actually works.
Read guide → Renter rightsRoommate Rights in NYC: The "Roommate Law" Explained
New York's Roommate Law lets you share your apartment with family and one additional roommate even if your lease says otherwise. Here's how occupancy rights, adding a roommate, and disputes actually work.
Read guide → Renter rightsHow to Sublet Your NYC Apartment Legally
The right way to sublet in NYC: getting your landlord's consent under RPL § 226-b, what they can and can't refuse, and how to protect your deposit and your lease.
Read guide → Renter rightsGood Cause Eviction in NYC, Explained
New York's Good Cause Eviction law limits when a landlord can decline to renew your lease or raise your rent unreasonably. Here's who's covered, what counts as "good cause," and what's exempt.
Read guide → Renter rightsNYC Pet Policies: The 90-Day "Pet Law" and Your Rights
Have a "no pets" clause but a landlord who's known about your dog for months? NYC's Pet Law may already protect you. Here's how it works, and what landlords can (and can't) charge.
Read guide → Renter rightsSuccession Rights for Rent-Stabilized Apartments in NYC
If a rent-stabilized tenant moves out or passes away, certain family members may have the legal right to take over the lease. Here's how succession rights actually work.
Read guide → Renter helpMoving Out of Your NYC Apartment: The Complete Checklist
From your notice date to your last walkthrough — the full move-out timeline for NYC renters, including getting your full deposit back.
Read guide → LeasingSecurity Deposit Compliance for NY Landlords: The Full Rules
The one-month cap, the 14-day return deadline, itemized statements, and what happens when a landlord gets it wrong — the complete security deposit compliance rules for New York landlords.
Read guide →