Relates to methods of billing and/or paying rent; provides that a landlord shall accept payment of rent by personal check and by mail; provides exceptions to such payment options when a check has been returned for insufficient funds or payment has been stopped on a check, draft or order.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5462 Revised 4/29/2025
SPONSOR: Bores TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the real property law, in relation to the methods of
billing and/or payment of rent
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To ensure tenants at least one costless method of paying rent
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one: Provides a short title of the bill
Section two: Provides for free method of rent payment, allows for rele-
vant exemptions in the case of non-payment via a check drawn on insuffi-
cient funds, allows for on-premises ' payment
Section three: establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
The electoral results in 2024 revealed a lot about the feelings of the
electorate and the biggest issues for the American people have clearly
been economic. It's not difficult to see why. With a rising cost of
living, increasing housing prices, and fees being added to every trans-
action, many in our state feel as though they are losing money simply by
existing. One thing New Yorkers certainly should have to do is pay a fee
just to send in their rent.
Current law allows property owners to require that tenants pay rent in a
way that incurs an additional fee for the renter. For example, a tenant
forced to pay by personal check, cashiers check, or wire transfer would
have to pay a bank or some other third party a fee for the chance to pay
rent. Based on a Washington State Law, this bill would require land-
lords, with limited exceptions, to provide tenants with at least one
free method of rent payment. In a time when the voters have spoken loud
and clear that the cost of living is too high, it's high time we did
away with these kinds of absurd fees that bleed New Yorkers dry.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.
