When a landlord may owe up to twice the deposit

If a New York landlord breaks the deposit rules on purpose, a court may award you more than the deposit itself.

What the law allows

You can ask for your actual damages, which is usually the money wrongly kept. If the court finds the violation was willful, it may also award punitive damages of up to twice the amount of the deposit.

Example: on a $2,000 deposit that was wrongly kept, a court finding willfulness could award up to $4,000 more. That's up to $6,000 in total, but it's the court's decision and is never automatic.

What "willful" can look like

Ignoring the 14-day deadline after being reminded of it
Charging for ordinary wear and tear the landlord knows isn't allowed
Refusing to give any itemized statement

A clear, polite demand letter that cites the law can help show the landlord knew the rules.

Check my deposit

About 2 minutes. Your result costs nothing and needs no account.

Based on N.Y. General Obligations Law § 7-108, checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice.