Rent Abatement is a legal remedy that allows tenants to reduce or withhold rent when their rental property becomes partially or completely uninhabitable due to the landlord’s failure to make necessary repairs or maintain safe living conditions. Common issues like lack of heat, water damage, or pest infestations may qualify for rent abatement under New York law. Understanding how rent abatement works helps tenants assert their rights, negotiate fair solutions, and hold landlords accountable. It’s an essential protection ensuring renters only pay for habitable, compliant, and properly maintained housing.