A Landlord’s Right to Access a Tenant’s Apartment in Emergencies and for Repairs Laws and Best Practices
On December 12, 2018, Michelle Itkowitz conducted a webinar for Vendome Media, the publishers of “Apartment Law Insider”, entitled “A Landlord’s Right to Access a Tenant’s Apartment in Emergencies and for Repairs Laws and Best Practices”.
Here is a link to the materials prepared for the program.
Here is an excerpt from the materials:
A. Statute Regarding Access
1. The Statute
As always, the best place to start any legal inquiry is by looking at the statute that relates to your question. Owner’s right to access a residential apartment contained within a multiple dwelling is governed by the New York City, N.Y., Rules, Tit. 28, § 25-101 (Owner’s Right of Access and Requirements for Notification) and states:
(a)(1) Owner to give notice. Where an owner or his or her representative seeks access to a dwelling unit, suite of rooms or to a room, under the provisions of §27-2008 in order to make an inspection for the purpose of determining whether such places are in compliance with the provisions of the multiple dwelling law or the administrative code, such owner or representative shall notify the tenants not less than twenty-four hours in advance of such time of inspection.
(2) Where an owner or his or her representative seeks access to make improvements required by law or to make repairs to a dwelling unit, suite of rooms or to a room, such owner or representative shall give written notice to the tenant not less than one week in advance of the time when the improvements or repairs are to be started, except where otherwise provided in paragraph (3) of this subdivision.
(3) Where an owner or his or her representative seeks access to make repairs
(i) that are urgently needed to a dwelling unit, suite of rooms or a room, as in the case where a class C violation of the Housing Maintenance Code has been issued, except where such class C violation is for the existence of a lead-based paint hazard, or
(ii) in the case of an emergency where repairs are immediately necessary to prevent damage to property or to prevent injury to persons, such as repairs of leaking gas piping or appliances, leaking water piping, stopped-up or defective drains, leaking roofs, or broken and dangerous ceiling conditions,
such owner or representative shall not be required to provide written advance notice, but shall be required to notify the tenant or tenants by such actions as telephone, email, or by knocking on the occupant’s door at a reasonable time when he or she would be expected to be present.
(4) Where an owner or his or her representative must make a repair in a public area or other area of a dwelling that may result in an interruption of essential services such as utilities (heat, hot water, cold water, gas, electricity, or elevator) that is expected to continue for more than two hours, the owner or his or her representative shall provide written notice to the tenants by posting a notice in a prominent place within the public part of the building and on each floor of such building at least twenty-four hours prior to such interruption. However, if such interruption is not expected to continue for more than two hours or is due to emergency repairs that were not anticipated and must begin immediately, advance notice is not required, provided that notice shall be posted as soon as possible if such work continues for two or more hours. Such notice shall identify the service to be interrupted, the type of work to be performed, the expected start and end dates of the service interruption, and shall be updated as necessary. Such notice shall be provided in English, Spanish, and such other language as the owner deems necessary to adequately provide notice to the tenants. Such notice shall remain posted until the interruption of essential services interruption ends. A sample notification form is provided in these rules.
(b) Notices to be in writing. Where an owner is required to give notice in advance of seeking access to a dwelling unit, suite of rooms or to a room, as required by subdivision (a) of this section, such notice shall be in writing, dated, and shall contain a statement of the nature of the improvement or repairs to be made, unless specifically stated otherwise in these rules.
(c) Authorization to be in writing. Where a representative of an owner seeks access to a dwelling unit, suite of rooms, or rooms, the authorization of the owner shall be in writing and the representative shall exhibit such authorization to the tenant when access is requested.
(d) Hours when access to be permitted. Except as provided in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of this section, access to a dwelling unit, suite of rooms, or rooms, shall be limited to the hours between nine antemeridian and five post-meridian, unless otherwise agreed to by the tenant. Access shall not be required on Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays, unless otherwise agreed to by the tenant, except as provided in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of this section.
Sample Notification Form for Interruption of Essential Services
NOTICE OF INTERRUPTION OF SERVICES
Please be advised that due to repair work in the building located at _______________, there will be an interruption in the following building services:
heat hot water cold water gas electricity elevator
The interruption in service is expected to begin on ____________________ and to end on ____________________.
The repair work is for the purpose of ________________________________________
AVISO DE INTERUPCION DE SERVICIOS
Por favor tenga en cuenta que debido a reparaciones en el edificio localizado en ____________ ______________, habra una interrupcion en los siguientes servicios del edifico:
Calefaccion Agua Caliente Agua Fria Gas Electricidad Elevador
La interrupcin en servicio se espera comenzar en ____________________ y terminar en ____________________.
El trabajo de reparacion es para el proposito de ________________________________________
[Emphasis supplied.]
I put the full text of long statutes in my materials when I think they are very important and that people – both real estate professionals and tenants – should read them. Sorry, the law is words, not emojis. In any event, now let us unpack this important statute.
2. Unpacking the Statute – Three Different Types of Access: Inspections, Repairs, Emergencies and Form of Notice
The statute anticipates three different types of access. First, it talks about access for inspections, which require twenty-four hours’ notice. Second, it talks about access for repairs, which requires a week’s notice.
The notice called for is very specific. The notice must be “in writing, dated, and shall contain a statement of the nature of the improvement or repairs to be made…”. The hours access is permitted are between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm on weekdays, excluding holidays.
Third, the statute talks about emergency situations, which require no written advanced notice. In such cases, the person seeking access “shall be required to notify the tenant or tenants by such actions as telephone, email, or by knocking on the occupant’s door at a reasonable time when he or she would be expected to be present.”
Also, any representative of an owner needs to be able, upon demand by the tenant, to exhibit an authorization by owner, authorize their access.
There is a fourth section of the statute that discusses repairs in public areas, which is beyond the scope of our topic. I leave the full text of that portion of the statute in above anyway.
B. Rent Stabilized Tenants Have Further Rights Regarding Access
When the landlord seeks access to a Rent Stabilized unit in New York City for the purpose of an inspection or a showing, tenant must first be afforded at least five days’ advance notice (actually ten, if served by mail) so that the parties may attempt to arrange a mutually convenient appointment.[1]
C. A Lease Provision Regarding Access
Of course, a lease can always make those requirements more stringent, so check your leases.
[1] 9 NYCRR § 2524.3(e).
