New York Room Rental Agreement Template

An agreement for renting one bedroom in a shared home, with private and shared areas, house rules, a fair utility split and clear notice terms. This edition fills in the New York rules we could confirm and marks the rest as blanks to check.

New York rules for this form

Deposit limit. For most rentals, the deposit and any advance payment together may not exceed one month of rent. (General Obligations Law section 7-108)

Deadline to return the deposit. The landlord must return the deposit, minus lawful deductions, within 14 days after the tenant moves out. (General Obligations Law section 7-108)

Notice before entry. There is no statewide statute on entry notice, so the lease controls and landlords are generally expected to give reasonable advance notice except in emergencies. (New York Real Property Law (no statewide entry statute))

Late fees. A late fee may not exceed $50 or 5 percent of the monthly rent, whichever is less. (Real Property Law section 238-a)

Month-to-month notice. To end a month-to-month tenancy, a landlord gives 30, 60 or 90 days of written notice depending on how long the tenant has lived there. (Real Property Law (month-to-month tenancies, as amended in 2019))

Required disclosures. Homes built before 1978 need the federal lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet. (Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (42 U.S.C. 4852d))

Required disclosures. The lease must state in bold type whether the unit has a working sprinkler system. (Real Property Law section 231-a)

Required disclosures. The lease generally must disclose whether the property is in a flood zone and whether it has flood damage history. (New York Real Property Law (flood disclosure))

Cities and counties in New York can add their own rules on top of these. Check local ordinances before you sign.

What is in the template

1. Parties
2. The room and shared areas
3. Term
4. Rent
5. Utilities and household costs
6. Security deposit
7. House rules
8. Privacy and entry
9. Care and repairs
10. Ending this Agreement for a breach
11. Moving out
12. General terms
13. Signatures

Before you use it

• A room rental agreement covers one private room plus shared use of common areas like the kitchen and bathroom.
• House rules on guests, quiet hours, cleaning and shared costs prevent most housemate disputes.
• Some states treat a renter who lives with the owner differently, especially for eviction, so check before you rely on it.
• Fair housing law still applies to most room rentals, though some owner-occupied homes have narrow exemptions.

For the full explanation of this form, read our guide to the room rental agreement.