CB 110223 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

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          IN THE MATTER OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE    ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
          APPEAL OF                              DOCKET NO.:  CB 110223 RO

                    RICHARD ALBERT,              DRO DOCKET NO.: Q-3121337-R

                                                 TENANT:  RICHARD POSLETT
                                    PETITIONER    
          ------------------------------------X                             


            ORDER AND OPINION GRANTING PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
                                       IN PART

                                                                            

          On February 25, 1988, the above-named owner filed a Petition for 
          Administrative Review of an order issued on January 26, 1988, by 
          the Rent Administrator concerning the housing accommodations known 
          as 93-41 222nd Street, Queens Village, New York, Apartment No. 2A,  
          wherein the Rent Administrator determined that the owner had 
          overcharged the tenant.

          The Administrative Appeal is being determined pursuant to the 
          provisions of Section 2526.1 of the Rent Stabilization Code.

          The issue herein is whether the Rent Administrator's order was 
          warranted.

          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 March 30, 1984 by the 
          filing of a rent overcharge complaint by the tenant.  In answer to 
          the complaint, the owner submitted a complete rental history for 
          the subject apartment.
               
          In Order Number Q-3121337-R, the Rent Administrator determined that 
          the tenant had been overcharged in the amount of $14.95, including 
          excess security and interest on the portion of overcharges 
          occurring on and after April 1, 1984, and directed the owner to 
          refund such overcharge to the tenant.

          In this petition, the owner requests reversal of the Rent 
          Administrator's order and contends in substance that, among other 
          things, the Administrator's finding of an overcharge to the tenant 
          was based on the Administrator's failure to include a $0.50 
          additional monthly charge for window guards in the calculation of 
          the lawful stabilization rent.

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







          CB 110223 RO


          The Commissioner notes that an owner is not allowed to include 
          charges for window guards in the base rent for the purpose of 
          calculating guideline increases.

          An examination of the records in this case discloses that the owner 
          incorrectly included a $.50 window charge in the base rent prior to 
          the guideline increase taken upon the May 1, 1985 lease renewal and 
          charged the tenant $506.31 commencing May 1, 1985 to April 30, 
          1987.  However the Rent Administrator in determining that there was 
          a resulting overcharge of $.55 per month failed to credit the owner 
          with a $.50 window guard increase allowed as a separate charge to 
          the $505.76 based rent effective May 1, 1985.  Adding the $.50 
          window guard charge makes the lawful stabilization rent $506.26 and 
          results in an overcharge of $.05 per month.  This results in a 
          total overcharge of $1.36 including interest and excess security 
          through April 30, 1987 rather than $14.95 as determined by the Rent 
          Administrator.

          The Administrator's order is herein modified to reflect that 
          $506.26 is the lawful stabilization rent, which includes $.50 for 
          window guards, for the period May 1, 1985 through April 30, 1987.  
          The owner is cautioned that the $.50 window guard charge is a 
          separate charge which does not become part of the base rent.

          Because this determination concerns lawful rents only through April 
          30, 1987, the owner is cautioned to adjust subsequent rents to an 
          amount no greater than that determined by the Rent Administrator's 
          order plus any lawful increases, and to register any adjusted rents 
          with this order and opinion being given as the explanation for the 
          adjustment.

          Upon the expiration of the period in which the landlord may 
          institute a proceeding pursuant to Article 78 of the Civil Practice 
          law and Rules, the tenant may offset against any rent thereafter 
          due the owner the remaining overcharge.

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

          ORDERED, that this petition for administrative review be, and the 
          same hereby is, granted in part, that the order of the Rent 
          Administrator be, and the same hereby is, modified as above set 
          forth.


          ISSUED



                                                                      
                                          JOSEPH A. D'AGOSTA
                                          Acting Deputy Commissioner