Received a 14-Day Eviction Notice in NYC? What Tenants Should Do First.

A 14-day demand for rent is the first formal step a New York landlord must take before starting a nonpayment eviction proceeding in housing court. It is not an order to move out, and it does not end your tenancy. It is a written demand that gives you fourteen days to pay the rent claimed or face a court filing.

Until a judge signs a warrant of eviction and a city marshal serves it, you remain a lawful tenant with the right to stay in your home, receive repairs, and defend the case.

The single most common mistake tenants make is treating the notice as junk mail. Ignoring the demand does not make it go away — it almost guarantees a court filing and, if you also miss the court date, a default judgment against you.

Save the envelope, note the date you received it, and photograph how it was delivered (taped to the door, handed to a household member, mailed). Service defects are one of the most common defenses in housing court.

A valid 14-day demand must state the exact amount claimed, the months it covers, and the name of the tenant on the lease. Any of the following can weaken or defeat the case:

• An inflated balance that includes late fees, legal fees, or charges the lease does not authorize
• Rent for months already paid or covered by ERAP or another subsidy
• A demand addressed to the wrong tenant or a former occupant
• Improper service — for example, a notice only slipped under the door with no follow-up mail

New York tenants have real, established defenses beyond simply paying the rent. Common ones include the warranty of habitability (rent abatement for conditions the landlord failed to repair), rent overcharge in stabilized apartments, retaliation for complaints to 311 or HPD, and improper rent increases outside the legal framework.

If you have withheld rent because of serious conditions — no heat, leaks, pests, missing repairs — document them now with photos, dates, and copies of every complaint you filed.

You have a narrow window between the 14-day demand and the return date of any petition to raise defenses, negotiate a payment plan, or apply for emergency rental assistance. An attorney can review the notice, preserve the record, and — where appropriate — file an answer that puts every defense on the table before your first court date.

Free and low-cost representation is available in every borough through the Right to Counsel program for income-eligible tenants; private counsel can step in where those services are unavailable or unsuited to your matter.