Demonstrators block the entrance to the building housing Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Manhattan office on June 11, 2015. (Credit: CBS2) Demonstrators block the entrance to the building housing Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Manhattan office on June 11, 2015. (Credit: CBS2)

UPDATED 06/16/15 12:30 a.m.

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Despite dire warnings, Albany lawmakers were unable to agree on the possibility of extending rent regulations covering more than 2 million tenants in and around New York City.

Rent regulation laws officially expired at midnight Monday night.

As CBS2’s Jessica Schneider reported, Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned that landlords had best not take advantage of the situation.

“At this point, both houses of the State Legislature have been unable to come to an agreement to pass new rent regulations,” Cuomo said in a statement. “While today may be the legal expiration date for some of these laws, landlords should under no circumstances believe that their responsibility under the current rent stabilization program has expired.”

Cuomo noted that the Legislature likewise allowed the laws to lapse in 2011, and any package that does get passed will be retroactive.

“Any landlord who attempts to exploit this situation will face serious legal consequences,” Cuomo said in the statement. “I have been clear and unambiguous: this Legislature will not leave Albany without passing new rent regulation laws for the more than 2 million tenants who depend on these protections.”

Meanwhile, many tenants were left worried that they will end up homeless, CBS2’s Hazel Sanchez reports.

“I think they’re dropping the ball and they should really be proactive about it because a lot of people depend on that rent to stay in New York,” said Paul Echaniz, who lives on the Lower East Side.

The Assembly and Senate have been at odds over extending the longstanding rules.

“This is really Albany at its worst,” Mayor Bill de Blasio told WCBS 880. “We’re talking about rent regulations for over 2 million New Yorkers expiring at midnight and they still haven’t gotten their act together. To me, this is absolutely unacceptable.”