--- doc_id: playbooks/landlord/statewide-landlord-tenant-law-rpapl-and-real-property-law-framework url: /docs/playbooks/landlord/statewide-landlord-tenant-law-rpapl-and-real-property-law-framework title: Statewide Landlord-Tenant Law — RPAPL and Real Property Law Framework description: unknown jurisdiction: unknown audience: unknown topic_cluster: unknown last_updated: unknown --- # Statewide Landlord-Tenant Law — RPAPL and Real Property Law Framework (/docs/playbooks/landlord/statewide-landlord-tenant-law-rpapl-and-real-property-law-framework) Article 85: Statewide Landlord-Tenant Law — RPAPL and Real Property Law Framework [#article-85-statewide-landlord-tenant-law--rpapl-and-real-property-law-framework] SECTION: Landlord Operator Playbook JURISDICTION: New York State AUDIENCE: Landlord, Property Manager, Leasing Operator *** Executive Thesis [#executive-thesis] New York's landlord-tenant legal framework extends well beyond NYC-specific regulations. The Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law (RPAPL) governs eviction procedures statewide. The Real Property Law (RPL) establishes tenant rights including the warranty of habitability, the roommate law, anti-retaliation protections, and security deposit requirements. General Obligations Law (GOL) governs security deposits and certain lease provisions. These statutes apply throughout New York State — every landlord from Manhattan to Buffalo operates within this framework. Operational Framework: Key Statewide Statutes [#operational-framework-key-statewide-statutes] **RPAPL Article 7 (Summary Proceedings):** Governs all residential eviction proceedings statewide — nonpayment and holdover. Outside NYC, these proceedings are filed in local city courts, town justice courts, or village courts rather than NYC Housing Court. **RPL §235-b (Warranty of Habitability):** Applies to every residential lease in New York State. The landlord must maintain premises fit for human habitation regardless of lease terms. **RPL §235-f (Roommate Law):** Applies statewide to buildings with four or more units. **RPL §226-b (Subletting):** Applies statewide to buildings with four or more units. **RPL §227-a (Landlord Lock-Out):** Prohibits self-help eviction statewide. **RPAPL §226-c (Non-Renewal Notice):** Requires 30/60/90-day notice before non-renewal, statewide. **GOL §7-108 (Security Deposits):** One-month cap, interest-bearing account, 14-day return — statewide. Risk Factor: Local Court Variations [#risk-factor-local-court-variations] Outside NYC, eviction cases are heard in city courts, town justice courts, and district courts. Procedures and customs vary significantly by jurisdiction. Some town courts move faster than NYC Housing Court; others have limited calendars and delayed scheduling. Landlords operating outside NYC should engage local attorneys familiar with the specific court's procedures. *** Intelligence Layer [#intelligence-layer] 1. KPI Mapping [#1-kpi-mapping] * Primary KPI: Statewide compliance rate * Secondary KPI: Non-NYC vacancy rate 2. Targets [#2-targets] * Establish baseline from portfolio data for the primary KPI * Track month-over-month trend — improvement ≥ 5% per quarter is the target * Compare against submarket benchmarks where available 3. Failure Signals [#3-failure-signals] * Primary KPI declining for 2+ consecutive months without intervention * Article-specific framework not implemented or not followed consistently * Downstream metrics degrading (check articles downstream in the system) * No data being collected for the primary KPI (measurement failure) 4. Diagnostic Logic [#4-diagnostic-logic] * Pricing: Does the pricing strategy support the outcome this article targets? If not, reprice before other interventions * Marketing: Is the listing generating sufficient visibility and lead volume to produce the conversions this article measures? * Friction: Is there unnecessary process friction preventing the conversion this article optimizes? * Product Mismatch: Does the unit's in-person experience match the listing's promise at the listed price? * Lead Quality: Are the leads reaching this funnel stage qualified for the conversion being measured? 5. Operator Actions [#5-operator-actions] * Implement the framework described in this article for every applicable unit in the portfolio * Track the primary KPI weekly for active listings, monthly for the portfolio * When the KPI falls below target, diagnose using the logic above and apply the article's recommended intervention * Cross-reference upstream and downstream articles for cascading issues 6. System Connection [#6-system-connection] * Leasing Stage: lease, retention * Dashboard Metrics: Statewide compliance rate, Non-NYC vacancy rate 7. Key Insight [#7-key-insight] * New York State landlord-tenant law applies everywhere from Manhattan to Massena. The penalties for non-compliance are the same regardless of portfolio size. *** LLM SUMMARY ENTRY [#llm-summary-entry] ``` Title: Statewide Landlord-Tenant Law — RPAPL and Real Property Law Framework Jurisdiction: New York State One-Sentence Description Comprehensive overview of New York State landlord-tenant statutory framework covering RPAPL eviction procedures, RPL tenant protections, GOL security deposit rules, and local court variation across NYS jurisdictions. Core Outcomes Addressed * Statewide framework understanding * Multi-jurisdiction compliance * Key statute identification * Local court adaptation Process Stages Covered * Regulation Suggested Internal Links * /ny/landlords/county-court-eviction-procedures * /ny/landlords/security-deposit-compliance Keywords RPAPL, Real Property Law, GOL, statewide landlord-tenant, warranty of habitability, eviction procedure, security deposit, roommate law, non-renewal notice, New York State --- ``` ***