Relates to methods of billing and/or paying rent; provides that a landlord shall accept payment of rent by personal check and by mail; provides exceptions to such payment options when a check has been returned for insufficient funds or payment has been stopped on a check, draft or order.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5462
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 14, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BORES -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Housing
AN ACT to amend the real property law, in relation to the methods of
billing and/or payment of rent
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "multi-pay-
ment yielding equitable rent system (MYERS) act".
§ 2. The section heading of section 235-g of the real property law, as
added by chapter 367 of the laws of 2010, is amended and three new
subdivisions 3, 4 and 5 are added to read as follows:
[Electronic] METHODS OF billing and/or payment of rent.
3. A LANDLORD SHALL ACCEPT PAYMENT OF RENT BY AT LEAST ONE FORM OF
PAYMENT OTHER THAN THE FOLLOWING: WIRE TRANSFER, CASHIER'S CHECK,
CERTIFIED CHECK, BANK DRAFT, MONEY ORDER, OR ANY FORM OF PAYMENT THAT
REQUIRES A LESSEE OR TENANT TO INCUR A FEE AS A CONDITION OF PAYMENT.
4. A LANDLORD MAY DEMAND AN EXCLUSIVE FORM OF PAYMENT IF THE TENANT OR
LESSEE HAS PREVIOUSLY ATTEMPTED TO PAY THE LANDLORD OR LANDLORD'S AGENT
WITH A CHECK DRAWN ON INSUFFICIENT FUNDS OR THE TENANT HAS INSTRUCTED
THE DRAWEE TO STOP PAYMENT ON A CHECK, DRAFT, OR ORDER FOR THE PAYMENT
OF RENT TO THE LANDLORD OR LANDLORD'S AGENT. THE LANDLORD MAY DEMAND OR
REQUIRE CASH AS THE EXCLUSIVE FORM OF PAYMENT ONLY FOR A PERIOD NOT
EXCEEDING SIX MONTHS FOLLOWING AN ATTEMPT TO PAY WITH A CHECK ON INSUF-
FICIENT FUNDS OR FOLLOWING A TENANT'S INSTRUCTION TO STOP PAYMENT. IF
THE LANDLORD CHOOSES TO DEMAND OR REQUIRE CASH PAYMENT UNDER THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES, THE LANDLORD SHALL GIVE THE TENANT A WRITTEN NOTICE STAT-
ING THAT THE PAYMENT INSTRUMENT WAS DISHONORED AND INFORMING THE TENANT
THAT THE TENANT SHALL PAY IN CASH FOR A PERIOD DETERMINED BY THE LAND-
LORD, NOT TO EXCEED SIX MONTHS AND SHALL ATTACH A COPY OF THE DISHONORED
INSTRUMENT TO SUCH NOTICE.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09242-01-5
A. 5462 2
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