The American Land Title Association (ALTA), the national trade association of the land title insurance industry, AARP and the New York State Land Title Association (NYSLTA) applaud the New York State Legislature for passing S 6361/A 5886, which includes provisions protecting homeowners from the predatory practice of filing unfair real estate fee agreements in property records, known as Non-Title Recorded Agreements for Personal Services (NTRAPS). The new law will make NTRAPS unenforceable.

“The property rights of American homeowners must be safeguarded,” said Caroline Cone, ALTA's director of state government affairs. “It is essential to ensure there are no unreasonable restraints on a homeowner's ability to sell or refinance their home in the future due to unwarranted transaction costs.”

“The passage of this bill is a continuation of AARP’s advocacy efforts, undertaken in collaboration with ALTA, to put an end to this harmful practice,” said AARP Government Affairs Director Samar Jha. “We look forward to working on similar legislative solutions in more states to help protect homeowners against this predatory real estate practice.”

S 6361/A 5886 follows the objective of similar bills introduced across the country to provide a remedy for existing NTRAPS while also discouraging these types of unfair practices impacting homeowners.

“Consumer protection is one of the pillars that NYSLTA is built on, and we are proud to have worked with legislators, AARP, ALTA and our members to eliminate the threat of NTRAPS in New York,” said NYSLTA President Mark D’Addona. “We especially want to thank Gov. Hochul for signing this bill into law. Bad actors are constantly devising new ways to victimize homeowners, and it has never been more challenging for policymakers to keep up. NYSLTA is committed to fight on all fronts for New York homeowners to help protect one of the most important investments of their lives.”

“For many older New Yorkers, their homes are their biggest asset and greatest financial investment,” said Beth Finkel, AARP New York state director. “By prohibiting these unfair service agreements, New York homeowners will have more control and the financial security they need to age in their own homes and communities.”

The bill will:

• Make NTRAPS unenforceable by law.
• Restrict and prohibit the recording of NTRAPS in property records.
• Create penalties if NTRAPS are recorded in property records.
• Provide for the removal of NTRAPS from property records and recovery of damages.

A total of 33 states have passed NTRAPS legislation. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the legislation on Dec. 12, 2025.

About ALTA

The American Land Title Association, founded in 1907, represents an industry comprised of more than 17,000 title insurance companies operating across the nation, with over 90% being small businesses.