Syracuse, N.Y., Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27 § 27-147
Collection of rents
Operative Text
No owner, agent or person in charge shall collect rents during any period of noncompliance with article 9 which would otherwise be due and owing for the rental of premises unless and until the owner shall have complied with the provisions herein. Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent an owner, upon receipt of the rental registry certificate, from receiving the equitable value of the occupancy of the premises from the earliest date of occupancy, but in no event shall an owner recover in excess of the agreed rent. Failure on the part of the tenant to pay the equitable value of the occupancy of the premises from the earliest date of occupancy until the owner's receipt of the rental registry certificate may not be used as a basis for eviction.
Under Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 9 § 27-147, a property owner or their agent is barred from collecting rent while the rental property is out of compliance with Article 9's requirements. Once compliance is achieved — specifically upon receipt of a rental registry certificate — the owner may seek payment for the reasonable value of the tenant's occupancy going back to the start of the tenancy, but that recovery cannot exceed the originally agreed-upon rent amount. Importantly, a tenant's failure to pay during the noncompliant period cannot be used as grounds for eviction.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 9 § 27-147 generally maintain continuous compliance with Article 9's rental registry requirements so that rent collection is never interrupted. A compliant operator secures and keeps current their rental registry certificate, since the right to collect — and to recover back-owed occupancy value — is tied directly to holding that certificate. Operators are also aware that any back-payment they pursue for the noncompliant period is capped at the contractually agreed rent, never more.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 9 § 27-147 provides tenants with a meaningful protection: rent withheld during a period when the owner lacked a valid rental registry certificate cannot be used as the basis for an eviction proceeding. Tenants who have been asked to pay rent or face eviction during a period of owner noncompliance with Article 9 may raise this provision as a defense in housing court. Tenant-rights organizations in Syracuse and the city's code enforcement office can be useful resources for understanding how this protection applies in a given situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 1, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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