BILL NUMBER: S6718
SPONSOR: JACKSON
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in
relation to surcharges for the installation or use of certain appliances
in housing accommodations subject to rent control
 
PURPOSE:
This bill will prohibit the imposition of any surcharge for the instal-
lation or use of a tenant-installed appliance.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds a new Section 26-416-A to the Administrative Code of the
City of New York that prohibits the imposition of any surcharge for the
installation or use of a tenant-installed appliance where the tenant
pays for electric utility service.
Section 2 is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
On March 24, 2005, the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal
issued Operational Bulletin 2005-1 which states that in both rent
controlled and rent stabilized apartments, when a tenant requests
permission to install a washer, dryer, or dishwasher, the owner can
collect a surcharge for each appliance. This action was purportedly
taken in order to account for the increased wear on plumbing and the
increased utility costs paid by landlords, but these costs are already
taken into account when calculating rent because these costs are already
accounted for in the rent itself, and this action has the likely effect
of increasing disputes between landlords and tenants, this bill is
necessary to prohibit appliance surcharges.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S.4967 - Passed Senate/A.689 - Referred to Housing
2021-2022: S.2013-A - Passed the Senate/A.1436-A - Amend and Recommit to
Housing
2019-2020: S.3319 - Referred to Housing, Construction and Community
Development/A.3170 - Referred to Housing
2017-2018: S.799 - Referred to Housing Construction and Community
Development/A.1093 - Ordered to third reading rules Cal. No 144
2015-2016: Referred to Housing, Construction, and Community Development
2011-2012: A.1338 Referred to Housing/S.3268 - Referred to Housing,
Construction and Community Development
2009-2010: A.1127 -Advanced to 3rd reading Cal. No. 734 2007-2008:
A.3843 - Referred to Housing
2005-2006: A.8264 - Referred to Housing
 
STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided that section 26-416-a
of the city rent and rehabilitation law as added by section one of this
act shall remain in full force and effect only as long as the public
emergency requiring the regulation and control of residential rents and
evictions continues, as provided in subdivision 3 of section 1 of the
local emergency housing rent control act.