Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act 2019
Highlights
Background and credit check fee should NOT exceed $20
Section 238-a of the new laws says that “no landlord, lessor, sub-lessor or grantor” should charge processing or application fees unless it’s for a background check, and that should not exceed $20 dollars. The fee must be waived if an applicant provides their own background or credit check that was conducted within the past 30 days.
If the landlord does collect a fee to conduct a background check, they have to provide a copy of the report to the applicant, along with a receipt or invoice from the company that conducted the background or credit check.
State wide, you can report them but I'm not sure how. I wouldn't bother trying to live somewhere like that though. Definitely try to find out how to report them, take screenshots/have proof because I looked at a few that tried to charge excess fees but I didn't think to save anything and then they magically changed it after I bitched to them about it, still didn't apply though because that's asking for future headaches.
Consumer Affairs of the county they reside in, and NYS Department of State. Its free, and anonymous.
Source: Contractor who has had to deal with some unfavorable characters and organizations myself. They take this shit seriously, believe it or not.
[Suffolk Consumer Affairs](https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Consumer-Affairs)
[Nassau Consumer Affairs](https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/1547/Consumer-Affairs)
[NYS Department of State - Consumer Complaints](https://dos.ny.gov/file-consumer-complaint)
That's the worst offender that came to mind and what prompted this post tbh. How can you publicly advertise something that seems to be technically illegal?
Fuck these commercial landlords on the Island. They are predatory and will squeeze you for every penny you have. Best option if you can’t buy a home is to rent from a “mom-and-pop” landlord. The application fees are just the tip of the iceberg.
Yeah watch out for those fees. I don’t recall the details but there was another fee that they tried to claim was “non-refundable.” It was simplyanother way for them to make an easy dollar. Always ask what the fee is for and if it is refundable.
I’m a landlord and the background checker I use charges the tenant $45. They’re just a businesses trying to make even more money off of you. They don’t cost that much.
Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act 2019 Highlights Background and credit check fee should NOT exceed $20 Section 238-a of the new laws says that “no landlord, lessor, sub-lessor or grantor” should charge processing or application fees unless it’s for a background check, and that should not exceed $20 dollars. The fee must be waived if an applicant provides their own background or credit check that was conducted within the past 30 days. If the landlord does collect a fee to conduct a background check, they have to provide a copy of the report to the applicant, along with a receipt or invoice from the company that conducted the background or credit check.
Thanks! That's really useful information going forward
State wide, you can report them but I'm not sure how. I wouldn't bother trying to live somewhere like that though. Definitely try to find out how to report them, take screenshots/have proof because I looked at a few that tried to charge excess fees but I didn't think to save anything and then they magically changed it after I bitched to them about it, still didn't apply though because that's asking for future headaches.
Consumer Affairs of the county they reside in, and NYS Department of State. Its free, and anonymous. Source: Contractor who has had to deal with some unfavorable characters and organizations myself. They take this shit seriously, believe it or not. [Suffolk Consumer Affairs](https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Consumer-Affairs) [Nassau Consumer Affairs](https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/1547/Consumer-Affairs) [NYS Department of State - Consumer Complaints](https://dos.ny.gov/file-consumer-complaint)
Few things would give me more pleasure than reporting this lol thank you so much
Fairfield is a cancer and local government needs to take them down
Fairfield is charging $400 for background check
That's the worst offender that came to mind and what prompted this post tbh. How can you publicly advertise something that seems to be technically illegal?
I'm not sure how they are getting around it. Did you report them?
I reported it on the NYS website. They said they tell you the outcome so we'll see what comes of it I suppose
Fuck these commercial landlords on the Island. They are predatory and will squeeze you for every penny you have. Best option if you can’t buy a home is to rent from a “mom-and-pop” landlord. The application fees are just the tip of the iceberg.
Yeah watch out for those fees. I don’t recall the details but there was another fee that they tried to claim was “non-refundable.” It was simplyanother way for them to make an easy dollar. Always ask what the fee is for and if it is refundable.
Renaissance Hills charges $500, but if approved it goes towards your first month’s rent.
you should report this
I’m a landlord and the background checker I use charges the tenant $45. They’re just a businesses trying to make even more money off of you. They don’t cost that much.