New York State is the most difficult place in the country to be a landlord, and that makes it often a challenging place to be a tenant. There is a bewildering array of laws, codes, precedent, assumptions, and processes that affect the way that these two groups interact with each other, and an avalanche of misinformation and confusion doesn't make it any better. In addition, let's acknowledge that what is in theory strictly a business arrangement involves constant contact and a person's home, making the landlord-tenant relationship unique.

This training aims to educate participants on New York State law regarding housing, ranging from roommates to security deposits to evictions. Both landlords and tenants have a variety of rights and responsibilities, and the clearer those are the better it is for everyone.

It also includes a deep dive into the best practices for both sides of the relationship, offering tips and advice that can avoid most problems before they start. This section begins with advertising and screening, then moves through leases, occupancy, maintenance, repairs, and all the way through the day when the tenant moves out. Sadly, even the best intentions sometimes end up in a negative situation, and so conflicts like evictions and lawsuits are covered as well.

The training is directed at a general audience, and does not include detailed instructions for individual cities, towns, or villages. It does, however, provide a solid and reliable set of guidelines that any landlord can use to better protect their business interests, and that tenants can rely on to access their protections. It is designed for a class of 10-30 participants, and organizations such as Landlord Associations, Tenants' Rights Groups, Housing Agencies, Service Providers, and others are encouraged to charge a fee to participants to defray the cost.

The training is six to eight hours, and the standard fee is $750 to $1,000 plus expenses.