NYC Rental FAQs: On Painting Your Apartment
Every city has its code when it comes to rental units, so what do you need to know about painting your NYC rental apartment? Here are the most common questions:
Question: My unit looks great, but I hate how dingy the hallways and lobbies are. Can I ask my landlord to repaint these common areas?
Answer: Hallways and lobbies are out of your jurisdiction. Your landlord is obligated to paint or wallpaper those, but only whenever deemed necessary by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Question: The walls of my unit have become stained due to the usual wear and tear, but I believe it’s my landlord’s fault for not updating the paint job in the past couple of years. Who should be responsible for fixing this? …show more content…
This is true even if your landlord has refused to repaint the walls every three years. Otherwise, your landlord has the right to withhold your security deposit.
However, if your landlord intends to gut renovate the entire unit anyway, it would be pointless for you to repaint the walls back to its original color. Ask your landlord in writing if they have plans to completely renovate the unit, and if they do, you are not obligated to repaint and you can get your security deposit back.
Question: The outside of my door needs to be painted, but my landlord refuses to pay for a paint job. Are they obligated to paint this or should I have to paint it out of pocket?
Answer: For common areas, it’s all up to your landlord. That is, unless you can prove that the state of the paint job of your door poses a health risk.
Rental units in New York City often have much stricter laws than those in other cities, mostly because of the number of renters living in the city. When it comes to paint jobs for your unit, always make sure you have your facts straight before you start
Every city has its code when it comes to rental units, so what do you need to know about painting your NYC rental apartment? Here are the most common questions:
Question: My unit looks great, but I hate how dingy the hallways and lobbies are. Can I ask my landlord to repaint these common areas?
Answer: Hallways and lobbies are out of your jurisdiction. Your landlord is obligated to paint or wallpaper those, but only whenever deemed necessary by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Question: The walls of my unit have become stained due to the usual wear and tear, but I believe it’s my landlord’s fault for not updating the paint job in the past couple of years. Who should be responsible for fixing this? …show more content…
This is true even if your landlord has refused to repaint the walls every three years. Otherwise, your landlord has the right to withhold your security deposit.
However, if your landlord intends to gut renovate the entire unit anyway, it would be pointless for you to repaint the walls back to its original color. Ask your landlord in writing if they have plans to completely renovate the unit, and if they do, you are not obligated to repaint and you can get your security deposit back.
Question: The outside of my door needs to be painted, but my landlord refuses to pay for a paint job. Are they obligated to paint this or should I have to paint it out of pocket?
Answer: For common areas, it’s all up to your landlord. That is, unless you can prove that the state of the paint job of your door poses a health risk.
Rental units in New York City often have much stricter laws than those in other cities, mostly because of the number of renters living in the city. When it comes to paint jobs for your unit, always make sure you have your facts straight before you start