Cal. Civ. Code § 796-K
Presentation or settlement of accounts
Operative Text
§ 796-k. Presentation or settlement of accounts. The court shall require the keeping of written accounts itemizing the receipts and expenditures for work performed under an order issued pursuant to section seven hundred ninety-six-h or seven hundred ninety-six-i of this article, which shall be open to inspection by the owner of the dwelling, or any mortgagee or lienor or any other person having an interest in such receipts or expenditures provided, however, that notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, such information as may be in the possession of the department charged with the enforcement of the housing maintenance code of the municipality shall be available from such department for inspection only by the owner of the dwelling, the tenant of the dwelling, or a person having a recorded interest in the property. Upon motion of the court or the administrator or of the owner, any mortgagee or lienor of record or of any person having an interest, the court may require a presentation or settlement of the accounts with respect thereto. Notice of a motion for presentation or settlement of such accounts shall be served on the owner, any mortgagee or other lienor of record who appeared in the proceeding and any person having an interest in such receipts or expenditures.
Under N.Y. Real Prop. Acts & Proc. Law § 796-K, when a court orders repair or maintenance work on a dwelling through the article's receivership or related provisions, written itemized records of all money received and spent must be maintained and kept available for review. Owners, mortgagees, lienholders, and others with a financial interest in the work may inspect those records, while records held by the local housing enforcement agency are accessible only to the owner, the tenant, or someone with a recorded property interest. The court—on its own initiative or upon motion by any interested party—may also require a formal presentation or settlement of those accounts, with proper notice given to all relevant parties.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners subject to a court order under § 796-K should be aware that detailed, itemized financial records covering all receipts and expenditures tied to court-ordered work are required to be maintained and made available for inspection. A compliant property owner generally monitors these accounts closely, since § 796-K grants the owner standing to bring a motion before the court requesting a formal accounting or settlement of those records. Owners who believe the accounts are incomplete or inaccurate can raise that concern through the court process described in this provision, and ensuring timely review of available records is a practice consistent with protecting one's financial interests in the property.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 796-K, tenants of a dwelling have a specific right to inspect financial records related to court-ordered repair work that are held by the local housing maintenance code enforcement department, even though the broader set of records is reserved for owners and parties with recorded financial interests. If a tenant believes that accounts are not being properly maintained or that access is being improperly denied, that concern can be raised with the relevant municipal housing enforcement agency or brought to the attention of the court overseeing the proceeding. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with New York's receivership framework can help explain how § 796-K's inspection rights fit into the broader context of a housing court proceeding.
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.
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