Legislation Protecting Prospective Renters Passed By NY City Council
MANHATTAN — The City Council passed
legislation on Thursday requiring that landlords provide greater
transparency during the tenant screening process.
Landlords are routinely sold copies of
housing court histories that misrepresent prospective tenants, which
leads to deserving renters being denied housing, the City Council said.
Because renters often have no idea that the landlords are obtaining
these reports, they are powerless to correct any inaccurate information.
Housing court data is reported by name,
not social security number, causing landlords to frequently get the
wrong reports, the City Council said.
The reports many landlords obtain also
fail to disclose the context of a renter’s appearance in housing court.
If someone goes to court because they are involved in a rent strike to
protest adverse living conditions, the report simply shows a housing
court action for non-payment.
“Prospective tenants across our city have
been denied by landlords for the simple fact that their tenant
screening report shows a housing court action,” said Council Speaker
Christine C. Quinn.
"By streamlining the process for tenants
and giving them easier access to reports they are entitled to view, we
can ensure that all New Yorkers are given a fair chance to find a new
home.”
The new law called “Tenant Fair Chance Act,” requires
landlords to tell applicants which company was providing the records, so
they can get their own copies and correct problems.
Landlords could be fined $500 for violations, but Quinn said the
real estate industry is not opposing the bill.
“Today, we are taking another step to
ensure that the deck is not stacked against the renters of this city,”
Council Member Dan Garodnick said in a press release.
“By improving the accuracy and
transparency of tenant screening reports, we are making sure that
tenants who assert their rights in court don't face a backlash for it
the next time they try to rent an apartment.”
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