Your rights · New York
Contracts & services
Most agreements bind even when they are informal, but New York requires some to be in writing, lets you recover losses caused by a breach, and gives you time limits to sue.
Breach of contract, demand letters, deposits, contractors, oral agreements, written-contract rules, cancelling a contract.
Common situations
What the situation means, what usually decides it, and the ways to respond.
- SituationSomeone broke a contract with you in New York: what the law says and what to doIf someone didn't do what they promised in a contract — didn't pay, didn't deliver, or did the job badly — you can usually ask a court for the money…
- SituationContractor took your deposit and didn't do the work in New York: your rightsIf you paid a home improvement contractor in New York before the work was substantially finished, the law treats that money as still yours until it…
How to do it
Step-by-step processes: forms, deadlines, fees and where to go.
Questions people ask
A short, straight answer to one question, with the source.
- QuestionAre oral contracts binding in New York? When a handshake deal countsYes — most oral agreements are binding in New York, and you have the same six years to sue over them as over written ones (CPLR § 213(2)). The law…
- QuestionHow long do you have to sue for breach of contract in New York?In New York you generally have six years to start a lawsuit over a broken contract, whether written or oral (CPLR § 213(2)). For a sale of goods the…
- QuestionCan you cancel a contract after signing it in New York?Usually not just because you changed your mind: New York has no general 'cooling-off' period for contracts. But some kinds of contracts do give you…
- QuestionUnfair contract terms in New York: which clauses a court may not enforceNew York courts usually hold you to a contract you signed, even if it's one-sided. But the law steps in for certain terms. A gym or pool can't make…
The official sources on this topic
Every page here rests on statutes, regulations and government sites. These are the ones that come up most on this topic:
- N.Y. Civil Practice Law and Rules(opens in a new tab)
- N.Y. General Obligations Law(opens in a new tab)
- N.Y. Uniform Commercial Code(opens in a new tab)
- N.Y. General Business Law(opens in a new tab)
- New York City Civil Court Act(opens in a new tab)
- Small Claims — New York State Unified Court System(opens in a new tab)
When you need an answer about your own situation
These pages explain the general rules. A first answer about your own situation is free; the full check confirms every legal point against the statute it cites, and a letter is written only on top of it.