DHCR Decisions                                 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.: BF 110062-RT                                         :                                              DRO DOCKET NO.: Q 3118854-R       ARTHUR & CAROL BERMAN,                           PETITIONER    :     ------------------------------------X                                              ORDER AND OPINION DENYING ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL     On June 4, 1987 the above-named petitioner-tenants filed an Administrative     Appeal against an order issued on  May  22,  1987  by  the  District  Rent     Administrator (10 Columbus Circle, New York, N.Y.) concerning the  housing     accommodations known as 136-02 B 68th Drive, Flushing, New York, Apartment     No. 2, wherein the Administrator ordered the owner to refund an overcharge     of $8.28 to the tenant.     The tenants commenced the proceeding below by filing a complaint  of  Rent     overcharge on March 28, 1983, stating that their tenancy commenced on July     1, 1968 at the monthly rental of $189.00.  The owner  was  served  with  a     copy of the tenants' complaint and was directed to submit  a  full  rental     history.  In response, the owner submitted copies of all  leases  for  the     subject tenants.     The District Rent Administrator's order, appealed herein, stated that  the     owner complied with the notice to submit a complete rental history for the     subject apartment from its base date and found the overcharge of $8.28.     On appeal, the petitioner-tenants contend, in substance, that (A) The rent     charged to the petitioners in July of 1968 was not based on a  legal  Rent     Guidelines Board percentage increase; (B) The  prior  stabilized  tenant's     rent needs to be used as the base rent;  and  (C)  The  landlord  has  not     submitted to the DHCR proof of the prior tenant's rent.     After a careful  consideration  of  the  entire  evidence  of  record  the     Commissioner is of the opinion that the administrative  appeal  should  be     denied.     The Commissioner notes that while the tenant may be correct that the  base     date for the subject apartment is May  31,  1968,  the  default  procedure     adopted by the New York City Conciliation and Appeals Board (and continued     by its successor, the DHCR) calls for rent  records  only  from  June  30,     1974.  While the DHCR might require rent records from May 31, 1968  in  an     appropriate case, rent records are required only from June 30,  1974  when     there is an appearance of regularity, as in the present  case,  where  the     subject tenants were initially charged $189.00  in  1968,  and  the  total     amount of overcharge over the  following  eighteen  years  came  to  $8.28     (Accord: AK 410527-RO ET AL).           DOCKET NUMBER: BF 110062-RT     In conclusion, the Commissioner notes that the DHCR's use of June 30, 1974     as a base date has been upheld by the courts (see Cohen  v.  Mirabal,  527     N.Y.S.2D 34).     On the basis of the entire evidence  of  record,  it  is  found  that  the     Administrator's order is correct and should be affirmed.     THEREFORE, in accordance  with  the  applicable  provisions  of  the  Rent     Stabilization Law and Code, it is     ORDERED, that the Administrative appeal be, and the same hereby is denied;     and the Administrator's order be, and the same hereby is affirmed.     ISSUED:                                                                                                       ELLIOT SANDER                                     Deputy Commissioner