Before you rent an apartment or any other type of housing, it's important to learn about what you're spending a considerable amount of your money on; for most people the rent bill is the highest expense coming out of their pockets on a monthly basis. So much can happen in a place that you might not be aware of at the time you're moving into a new apartment or house; pest infestation, plumbing or heating issues etc... While you can't possibly find out about all housing problems your future dwelling holds at first hand, you can definitely take a few measures to financially protect yourself when those issues arise: A) MONTH BY MONTH RENTAL: Although it can be risky to do so, it's possible to take precautions while renting month by month such as always making sure you get a receipt from your landlord so you are protected in case of unfair treatment. Renting in such manner allows you to have the freedom to leave an apt if the conditions of habitability are not met in spite of attempts made to have them restored by your landlord. B) KNOW YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS: Have the 'tenant rights' guideline at hand when you're ready to face a problem pertaining to your housing: the guide explains for example that there are situations when it might be legitimate for you to withhold partial or even full rent and also that a landlord cannot evict you without taking legal measures and getting an order from court (only an official like a mashall can come to your house to evict you; not the landlord). Learning about your legal rights as a tenant is vital to anyone who rents any kind of housing because it will prepare you to protect yourself financially when difficulties arise; it is also important to take pictures and document conversations exchanged with abusive landlords in order to be ready to show evidence in court if things lead to court. It's your money and you work hard for it so fight for your rights when you have legitimate reasons to do so. https://www.ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/... http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/can-new-york-state-tenant...