Cal. Civ. Code § 772
Contents of petition
Operative Text
§ 772. Contents of petition. The petition shall: 1. Allege material facts showing that there exists in such dwelling or any part thereof one or more of the following: a lack of heat or of running water or of light or electricity or of adequate sewage disposal facilities, or any other condition dangerous to life, health or safety, which has existed for five days, or an infestation of rodents or course of conduct by the owner or his agents of harassment, illegal eviction, continued deprivation of services or other acts dangerous to life, health or safety. 2. If the petitioners shall be tenants occupying the dwelling, they shall allege the number of petitioners making the petition and that they constitute one-third or more of the tenants of said dwelling in occupancy thereof. 3. Allege a brief description of the nature of the work required to remove or remedy the condition and an estimate as to the cost thereof except that if the petitioners shall be tenants occupying the dwelling, the petition may allege the conditions complained of in which event such description shall not be required to be made by anyone not a party to the petition. 4. If the petitioners shall be tenants occupying the dwelling, they shall allege the amount of rent due from each such petitioner, monthly. 5. State the relief sought.
Under N.Y. Real Prop. Acts & Proc. Law § 772, a petition filed to address dangerous or hazardous dwelling conditions must contain specific information to be legally sufficient. The petition must identify the harmful condition—such as lack of heat, running water, light, electricity, adequate sewage, rodent infestation, or landlord harassment—and note that it has persisted for at least five days. When tenants are the petitioners, the filing must also confirm that they represent at least one-third of the building's occupants, state each petitioner's monthly rent, describe the work needed to fix the problem along with a cost estimate (unless tenants are filing, in which case a general description of conditions may suffice), and specify the relief being requested.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers should be aware that N.Y. Real Prop. Acts & Proc. Law § 772 defines the threshold requirements a petition must meet before a court proceeding over dangerous conditions can move forward. A compliant operator generally maintains records of service levels, repair timelines, and communications with tenants so that any factual allegations in a petition can be addressed with documentation. Understanding what conditions trigger a valid petition—persistent lack of essential services, rodent infestation, or a pattern of harassment lasting five or more days—helps operators recognize when prompt remediation may prevent a formal proceeding from being initiated.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y. Real Prop. Acts & Proc. Law § 772 establishes the information that must be included in a petition when tenants seek court intervention over dangerous or hazardous conditions in their building. Tenants acting collectively should be aware that the law requires the group to represent at least one-third of the building's occupants and to provide each petitioner's monthly rent amount, along with a description of the conditions complained of. Tenants who believe their building qualifies for this type of proceeding may find it helpful to document conditions carefully, consult a local tenant-rights organization familiar with this provision, or explore whether a local rent board or housing court can provide guidance on the filing process.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.