Cal. Civ. Code § 227-F
Denial on the basis of involvement in prior disputes prohibited
Operative Text
§ 227-f. Denial on the basis of involvement in prior disputes prohibited. 1. No landlord of a residential premises shall refuse to rent or offer a lease to a potential tenant on the basis that the potential tenant was involved in a past or pending landlord-tenant action or summary proceeding under article seven of the real property actions and proceedings law. There shall be a rebuttable presumption that a person is in violation of this section if it is established that the person requested information from a tenant screening bureau relating to a potential tenant or otherwise inspected court records relating to a potential tenant and the person subsequently refuses to rent or offer a lease to the potential tenant. 2. Whenever the attorney general shall believe from evidence satisfactory to him or her that any person, firm, corporation or association or agent or employee thereof has violated subdivision one of this section, he or she may bring an action or special proceeding in the supreme court for a judgment enjoining the continuance of such violation and for a civil penalty of not less than five hundred dollars, but not more than one thousand dollars for each violation.
N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 227-F prohibits residential landlords from refusing to rent or offer a lease to a prospective tenant solely because that person was involved in a past or pending landlord-tenant court action or summary proceeding. The law creates a rebuttable presumption of a violation when a landlord checks a tenant screening bureau or court records and then declines to rent to that applicant. Enforcement authority rests with the Attorney General, who may seek a court injunction and civil penalties ranging from $500 to $1,000 per violation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 227-F, compliant residential property operators generally avoid using prior landlord-tenant court history as a basis for rejecting rental applicants. Because the statute establishes a rebuttable presumption of a violation whenever a landlord reviews screening bureau reports or court records and then denies an applicant, operators typically document the legitimate, non-prohibited reasons behind any denial decision. Maintaining clear, contemporaneous records of the criteria used in tenant selection can help demonstrate that a rejection was not driven by a protected factor under § 227-F.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 227-F gives prospective tenants the right not to be turned away from housing simply because they have a history of landlord-tenant court proceedings. If a landlord checked a screening bureau or court records before denying an application, the law's rebuttable presumption provision may be relevant to a potential claim. Tenants who believe this provision has been violated can explore options such as contacting the New York Attorney General's office, reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization, or consulting with a housing attorney familiar with § 227-F.
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.