Albany Landlord-Tenant Rules

Good cause eviction: The City says that in Albany, tenants can be evicted only for 'good causes,' such as nonpayment of rent, lease violations or criminal activity. The end of a lease by itself is not a good cause for eviction in Albany. Tenants with eviction questions can contact the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern NY at (833) 628-0087.; Residential Occupancy Permit (rental inspection): Every rental property in Albany must have a Residential Occupancy Permit (ROP), which certifies that a code inspector found the unit safe to live in. ROPs issued after November 2021 are valid for 2 years; most older ROPs are valid for two and a half years. Tenants can look up a property's ROP online and report a rental without one to Code Enforcement at 518-434-5995.; Repairs & code complaints: If your landlord does not fix a problem, you can make a code complaint to Albany's Department of Buildings & Regulatory Compliance at (518) 434-5995 or codes@albanyny.gov. For life-threatening emergencies, call 911.; Fair housing (local protected classes): Albany bans housing discrimination based on disability, race, color, national origin, religion/creed, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, familial status, marital status, age (over 18), source of income, domestic violence victim status, military status, immigration status, protected hair styles, and genetic predisposition or carrier status. The City's Fair Housing Office investigates complaints if the discrimination happened within the past year. File online, by email (aahrens@albanyny.gov) or by phone at (518) 807-1998.