New York Consolidated Laws, Real Property Law - RPP § 235-a. Tenant right to offset payments and entitlement to damages in certain cases

1. In any case in which a residential tenant shall lawfully make a payment to a utility company pursuant to the provisions of sections thirty-three, thirty-four and one hundred sixteen of the public service law, or to a utility company as defined in subdivision twenty-three of section two of the public service law, public authority, water-works corporation, as defined in subdivision twenty-seven of section two of the public service law, or municipal water system, as prescribed in section eighty-nine-l of the public service law, for water service which a landlord is responsible for but has failed or refused to provide payment therefor, such payment shall be deductible from any future payment of rent.

2. Any owner (as defined in the multiple dwelling law or multiple residence law) of a multiple dwelling responsible for the payment of charges for gas, electric, steam or water service who causes the discontinuance of that service by failure or refusal to pay the charges for past service shall be liable for compensatory and punitive damages to any tenant whose utility service is so discontinued.

3. Nothing contained in this section and no payment made pursuant to this section shall be deemed to discharge the liability of a renter with an interest in real property pursuant to subdivision two of section three hundred four of the real property tax law from taxes levied on such interest.