Lease and renewal basics

Your lease sets the rent, how long you can stay and the rules you and the landlord both follow. Here is what to check before you sign, what the law allows at move-in, and what to expect when it is time to renew.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change; check the official sources at the end of this page.

Before you sign

• Read the whole lease and every rider. Ask about anything you do not understand before you sign. When you rent through Mena Realty, we go over the lease and riders with you first.
• Check the monthly rent, the start and end dates, the move-in date and which utilities you pay.
• Look for the notices that come with a New York City lease: lead paint, window guards, sprinkler system, bedbug history, flood history, indoor allergen hazards, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and gas leaks, your right to reasonable accommodations for a disability, and the Good Cause Eviction notice.
• Keep a fully signed copy of the lease with your rent receipts.
• On move-in day, walk through the apartment and take dated photos of its condition.

Move-in costs: what the law allows

• Security deposit: no more than one month’s rent.
• Deposit return: within 14 days after you move out, the landlord must return the deposit or give you an itemized list of any deductions.
• Screening fee: no more than $20 or the actual cost, whichever is less.
• Broker fee: under the FARE Act, a broker hired by the landlord cannot charge the tenant a broker fee.
• Late fees: no late fee until rent is more than 5 days late, and then no more than $50 or 5% of the monthly rent, whichever is less.

Renewing a rent-stabilized lease

• Your landlord must offer you a renewal lease on the State’s renewal form 90 to 150 days before your lease ends.
• You choose a 1-year or 2-year term. You have 60 days to accept the offer.
• After you sign and return it, the landlord must give you a fully signed copy within 30 days.
• You can request your apartment’s rent history from New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) to check the registered rent.

Renewing a market-rate lease

If your apartment is not rent-stabilized, New York law still requires written notice if the landlord will not renew your lease or will raise the rent by 5% or more:

• 30 days if you have lived there less than 1 year.
• 60 days if you have lived there 1 to 2 years.
• 90 days if you have lived there 2 years or more.

Good Cause Eviction. Many market-rate apartments in New York City are covered by the Good Cause Eviction law. In a covered apartment, the landlord needs a legal reason to refuse to renew, and a yearly increase above 8.38% (the 2026 figure) is presumed unreasonable. Common exemptions include landlords who own 10 or fewer units, buildings that got their certificate of occupancy on or after January 1, 2009, high-rent apartments, condos and co-ops, and certain subsidized housing. Your lease or renewal should include a notice saying whether your apartment is covered and, if not, why.

If you use a rental assistance program

• Your program usually has to review a renewal or rent change before it takes effect. Send any renewal offer or rent increase notice to your caseworker or housing specialist as soon as you get it.
• Complete your program’s recertification on time. Missing paperwork can delay rent payments to the landlord.

Moving out

• Give notice in writing, following what your lease says.
• Ask the landlord for a move-out inspection, and take dated photos when the apartment is empty.
• Leave a forwarding address so your deposit can reach you.

Need help?

For free help with a lease or renewal problem, call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline. For questions about an apartment you rented through us, call our Rental Department.

Official sources

• NYC Rent Guidelines Board
• NYS Homes and Community Renewal — Good Cause Eviction
• NY Real Property Law § 226-C — notice of non-renewal or rent increase
• NY General Obligations Law § 7-108 — security deposits
• NY Real Property Law § 238-A — fees and late charges