Room Rental Agreement in New York

For renting a room in a home, including your own home. Some states treat a renter in the owner's home (a lodger) differently when ending the arrangement — see your state's household rules.

What New York law says

Renting a room in your own home (lodgers)	No separate statewide lodger statute. Under RPAPL § 711, an occupant of one or more rooms in a rooming house is a tenant. A person renting a room with the owner's permission but without a landlord-tenant relationship may be removed as a licensee by summary proceeding after a 10-day notice to quit. Self-help removal is unlawful once the person has lawfully occupied for 30 consecutive days. Source: RPAPL §§ 711, 713(7), 768
Tenancy at will	A tenancy at will or by sufferance, however created, may be ended by a written notice of not less than 30 days given on behalf of the landlord, requiring the tenant to leave. The notice must be served personally on the tenant or on a person of suitable age living on the premises, or, if neither can be found, posted on a conspicuous part of the premises. Source: N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 228

Renting a room in your own home (lodgers)

No separate statewide lodger statute. Under RPAPL § 711, an occupant of one or more rooms in a rooming house is a tenant. A person renting a room with the owner's permission but without a landlord-tenant relationship may be removed as a licensee by summary proceeding after a 10-day notice to quit. Self-help removal is unlawful once the person has lawfully occupied for 30 consecutive days.

Source: RPAPL §§ 711, 713(7), 768

Tenancy at will

A tenancy at will or by sufferance, however created, may be ended by a written notice of not less than 30 days given on behalf of the landlord, requiring the tenant to leave. The notice must be served personally on the tenant or on a person of suitable age living on the premises, or, if neither can be found, posted on a conspicuous part of the premises.

Source: N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 228

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ROOM RENTAL AGREEMENT

Owner/landlord: [owner name] Renter: [renter name]

Room: [room description] in the home at [home address]. Shared areas the renter may use: [shared areas].

Term: begins [start date]; [ends on end date / continues month to month].

Rent: $[monthly rent] due on [due day] by [payment method]. Deposit: $[deposit amount].

Utilities included: [utilities included]. House rules: [house rules, e.g. guests, kitchen use, smoking].

Ending the agreement: either side gives at least [notice period] written notice, and never less than state law requires.

Signatures and dates: [signatures]

Room Rental Agreement for other states · New York tenant rights

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.