Where Do I Go to File a Case Against My Landlord in New York City?

Disputes with a landlord can negatively affect your entire life. If you are illegally evicted, for example, you could end up homeless or in a hotel room, which can be devastating for your career and home life. While you can get justice, knowing where to go to file a case against your landlord in NYC can be confusing. Tenants may be able to file a lawsuit in a small claims court, the regular civil court, or with a NYC government agency such as the Housing Court. 

If a landlord turns your entire life upside down, you do not have to fight for justice alone. Morgan & Morgan can help you understand the legal process for getting justice. We can help you learn about your legal rights as a tenant, determine the best way to file a lawsuit in your specific case, and handle your claim from beginning to end. Get answers now by scheduling a free consultation with our legal team.

Where to File Your Case Against a Landlord in NYC

Knowing where to file your case in NYC can be tricky, as it will depend on the type of claim you have against your landlord. Examples of cases and how to file them include:

Housing Discrimination 

If you have been trying to rent a home and experienced unlawful discrimination by a landlord, you could file a lawsuit and hold them accountable. Discrimination can occur due to a person’s nationality, age, disability, color, and other reasons.

According to the City of New York, you should first file a complaint with the Law Enforcement Bureau of the NYC Commission on Human Rights if you are affected. However, you will have to act quickly as the complaint must be filed within one year of the alleged discrimination, per NYC human rights laws. You could also file a complaint directly with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Another option could be filing a lawsuit against your landlord in civil court. 

Since you could have various options for getting justice, going it alone can be tricky and confusing. Consider speaking with our tenant attorneys to determine the best course of action in your specific situation. Our lawyers can help you file a complaint with the relevant federal or state authority and file a lawsuit to pursue damages from a landlord. 

Illegal Eviction

Landlords or rental management companies who want to evict a tenant in NYC legally must obtain a court order. A law enforcement officer will then serve the tenant with a warrant of eviction, after which they have at least 14 days to move out of the property. If a landlord tries to evict you in another way, they act unlawfully. Examples of illegal evictions include:

• Removing locks
• Shutting off water, heating, or electricity
• Threats
• Removing the tenant’s property 

If this has happened to you, contact NYC Housing Court to get assistance and file a complaint. Be prepared to show proof of your expenses from the illegal eviction, such as loss of property, costs for a hotel room, and others. You could be entitled to triple the costs you sustained. It is important to note that illegally evicting a tenant is also a criminal offense in NYC, per Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law Section 768. Therefore, a landlord could get charged with a criminal offense. 

It can be in your best interests to consult with an attorney immediately after getting illegally evicted, threatened, or harassed by a landlord. An attorney from Morgan & Morgan can explain your next best steps and fight for your best interests. 

Failure to Make Repairs

Every tenant in NYC has the right to live in safe, livable, and sanitary rental accommodation. You are entitled to working services such as water, electricity, plumbing, and heating. Moreover, your rental property should be free from pest infestations such as insects or vermin. If there is a significant repair issue, such as a leaking pipe, and your landlord fails to fix the problem after you informed them, you could have various options, including taking them to court. 

In the first instance, you can file a case in the NYC Housing Court. The Housing Court can force your landlord to make the repairs needed to make your property habitable, such as restoring hot water and heating or dealing with mold or a pest infestation. 

You could also withhold rent or “repair and deduct,” which means that you pay to fix the issue and deduct the money you spent from the rent. However, withholding rent must be done in a certain way to be legal. Therefore, contact an attorney to determine how to protect your rights and get what you are owed.

Premises Liability

Landlords in NYC have a legal obligation to keep their properties free from unreasonable dangers. If a landlord fails to maintain an apartment building properly, they could be negligent and responsible for injured tenants’ damages. Examples of premises liability cases can include inadequate security and slip and fall claims.

Negligent Security

Negligent security occurs when a landlord fails to protect tenants or visitors from a foreseeable criminal act such as an assault, shooting, or robbery. 
A tenant might be able to file a lawsuit against a property owner, rental management company, or security company if they got injured in a negligent security incident. 

Inadequate security in rental complexes can arise due to:

• Poor lighting
• Broken locks
• No fencing
• Broken security cameras
• Not hiring enough security guards. 

If you got hurt due to the negligence of an NYC landlord, an attorney could help you receive damages by bringing a negligent security claim in civil court.  

Slip and Falls

If you suffered a fall due to your own fault, you would not be able to hold a landlord responsible for your expenses. However, if you slipped and fell due to a hazardous situation in the common areas of your apartment complex, such as a pothole, slippery floors, or bulging carpets, you could have a case against your landlord.

With a lawsuit, you could seek damages such as medical bills, loss of wages, pain and suffering, and others. However, a premises liability claim can be challenging to prove and may require a considerable amount of evidence and expert witness testimony. An attorney from Morgan & Morgan could help you file a legal claim and hold your landlord to account for negligently causing your injury. 

Morgan & Morgan Is Here for You

Rental properties are hard to come by in NYC, which can leave landlords with the misconception that they can get away with murder. Some want to maximize profits without considering the needs and dignity of their tenants. Landlords may try to illegally throw you out of your apartment or cut costs by refusing to make necessary repairs, leaving you to live in squalor. At Morgan & Morgan, we know this is wrong, and we can fight for your rights.

If you are wondering, “where do I go to file a case against my landlord in New York City?” get in touch with us. We could help defend your legal rights as a renter and fight for compensation for your losses due to an unethical, criminal, or negligent landlord. If you believe that your landlord has violated the law, let us assess your case in a free evaluation and discover your options for getting what you deserve. Our attorneys can stand beside you every step of the way when suing a landlord. 

When we take your case, you do not have to worry about out-of-pocket legal expenses or attorney’s fees. Our fee is free until we win.