BA 110172-RO

                                  STATE OF NEW YORK
                      DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL
                            OFFICE OF RENT ADMINISTRATION
                                     GERTZ PLAZA
                               92-31 UNION HALL STREET
                               JAMAICA, NEW YORK 11433

          ------------------------------------X 
          IN THE MATTER OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE    ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
          APPEAL OF                              DOCKET NO.: BA 110172-RO

               Chestnut Realty Company,          DISTRICT RENT OFFICE
                                                 DOCKET NO.: Q-3121727-R
           
                                   PETITIONER    Tenant: Juana Ruiz
          ------------------------------------X 


            ORDER AND OPINION GRANTING PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
                   REVOKING THE ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER AND MODIFYING
                         A SUBSEQUENT ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 

          On January 5,  1987  the  above-named  petitioner-owner  filed  a
          Petition for Administrative Review against  an  order  issued  on
          December 5, 1986 by a Rent Administrator concerning  the  housing
          accommodations known as 1012 Nameoke Street, Far Rockaway,
          New  York,  Apartment  No.  3B,   wherein   the   District   Rent
          Administrator determined  that  the  owner  had  overcharged  the
          tenant.

          The Commissioner notes that this proceeding was  filed  prior  to
          April 1, 1984.  Sections 2526.1(a)(4) and 2521.1(d) of  the  Rent
          Stabilization  Code  (effective  May  1,  1987)  governing   rent
          overcharge  and  fair  market  rent  proceedings   provide   that
          determination of these matters be based  upon  the  law  or  code
          provisions in  effect  on  March  31,  1984.   Therefore,  unless
          otherwise  indicated,  reference  to   Sections   of   the   Rent
          Stabilization Code (Code) contained herein are  to  the  Code  in
          effect on April 30, 1987.

          The Commissioner has reviewed all of the evidence in  the  record
          and has carefully considered that portion of the record  relevant
          to the issue raised by the administrative appeal.  

          This proceeding was originally commenced on February 4,  1984  by
          the filing of a rent overcharge complaint by the tenant, in which 
          the tenant stated that  she  had  moved  into  the  apartment  on
          October 24, 1982 at a rental of $350.00 per month.
               
          The owner was served with a copy of the complaint on November 13, 
          1984 and was directed to submit  complete  copies  of  the  lease
          history from the base rent date.

          In the order issued on December 5, 1986 the  Administrator  found
          that the  owner  had  defaulted  on  its  obligation  to  provide
          complete copies of leases or rent  records  from  the  base  date
          pursuant  to  Section  42A   of   the   Code.    Therefore,   the
          Administrator established the legal regulated rent  according  to
          the default method authorized under Section 42A.






          BA 110172-RO

          In its petition, dated July 5, 1987, the owner contends that  the
          order  was  a  duplicate  of  order   #TC-072481-G,   which   had
          officially recorded the "settlement" of the action  on  July  11,
          1986, and which had resulted in a credit to the tenant's accounts 
          for the overpayments.  The owner also contends that  it  informed
          the  DHCR  of  the  settlement  in  the  answer  to  the  present
          complaint.   In  fact,  the  petition  continues,  the  DHCR  was
          informed on December 1,  1984  that  the  present  action  was  a
          duplicate of the earlier one.  Attached to the petition is a copy 
          of a letter to the tenant, dated July  11,  1986,  in  which  the
          owner states the terms of settlement, and a  return  receipt  for
          certified mail delivery to the DHCR on July 15, 1986.

          In her answer, in English, the tenant states that  she  does  not
          understand the owner's petition. The answer does not dispute  any
          of the owner's claims.

          The Commissioner is of the opinion that this petition  should  be
          granted.

          The owner's petition dated January  5,  1987,  correctly  asserts
          that a second overcharge proceeding that was filed  by  the  same
          tenant was a duplicate of the instant proceeding.   However,  the
          owner mistakenly claims that the DHCR had issued a  prior  order,
          when in fact the duplicate order, TC-72481-G, was issued on March 
          17, 1987, which is after the issuance date of the order  reviewed
          in this opinion.  It is further noted that, whereas  the  subject
          order declares  that  the  owner  defaulted,  the  order  in  the
          duplicate proceeding states that it submitted a  complete  rental
          history of the subject apartment.  Furthermore,  although  nearly
          identical overcharges were found  in  both  orders,  the  owner's
          claim that it fully credited the tenant for all  overpayments  is
          never denied by the tenant.  In view of the fact  that  the  DHCR
          has independently found that the owners had submitted a  complete
          rental  history,  in  an  order  that  was  not   appealed,   the
          Commissioner is revoking the order that was based on the  owner's
          default.  In addition, the subject order is  hereby  adjusted  to
          reflect the refund of all overcharges to the tenant.

          It is noted that the subject tenant  has  vacated  the  premises,
          leaving no forwarding address.  A copy of this order and  opinion
          and of the DHCR order of March 17, 1987 are  being  forwarded  to
          the current occupant.

          THEREFORE, in accordance with  the  Rent  Stabilization  Law  and
          Code, it is


          ORDERED, that the owner's petition be and  the  same  hereby  is,
          granted; that the Administrator's order  under  Docket  Number  Q
          3121727-R be and  the  same  hereby  is  revoked,  and  that  the
          Administrator's order under Docket Number TC-72481-G be  and  the
          same hereby  is  modified  in  accordance  with  this  order  and
          opinion.

          ISSUED:








          BA 110172-RO
                                                                      
                                          JOSEPH A. D'AGOSTA
                                          Acting Deputy Commissioner




                     































    

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