FD 110009 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
          APPEAL OF                               ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
                                                  DOCKET NO.: FD 110009 RO

               HARBEN MANAGEMENT COMPANY,
                                                   DRO DOCKET NOS.: CE 110270-R    

                                                  TENANT:  SABAHATHN SUNGU
                                 PETITIONER
          ----------------------------------X


            ORDER AND OPINION DENYING PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW


          On April 2, 1991, the above named petitioner-owner filed a Petition 
          for Administrative Review against an order issued on February 26, 
          1991, by a Rent Administrator, concerning housing accommodations 
          known as Apartment 6J at 43-55 Kissena Boulevard, Queens, New York 
          wherein the District Rent Administrator determined that the tenant 
          had been overcharged in the amount of $10,194.00 including treble 
          damages and excess security.

          The applicable sections of the law are Sections 2528.3(b) and 
          2528.4(b) of the Rent Stabilization Code.

          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 by the filing of a rent 
          overcharge complaint by the tenant on May 16, 1988.

          The tenant took occupancy pursuant to a two year lease commencing 
          March 15, 1984, and expiring March 14, 1986, at a monthly rent of 
          $500.00




          The owner was served with a copy of the complaint and was directed 
          to submit a complete rent history from the base date, including 












          FD 110009 RO

          copies of all leases.  The owner complied with this request.

          The tenant submitted copies of all cancelled checks to document the 
          amount of rent he has paid throughout his tenancy.

          In Order No. CE 110270-R, issued on February 26, 1991, the Rent 
          Administrator determined that the tenant had been overcharged in 
          the amount of $10,194.00, including treble damages for overcharges 
          collected as of two years before the date the complaint was filed, 
          and thereafter, interest on overcharges collected prior to the 
          effective date of treble damages, and excess security.  The order 
          also stated that the 1984 initial registered rent of $500.00 per 
          month was properly registered, but that since the owner did not 
          file annual registrations for 1985 and 1990, the lawful rent was 
          frozen at that amount.  It was also determined that the owner had 
          unlawfully increased the rent to $530.00 per month in the four- 
          month period from December 1985 through March, 1986.

          In its petition, the owner contends that it had properly filed the 
          annual registrations for the years 1985 and 1990 through its 
          participation in the Rent Stabilization Association, which performs 
          this function for its membership.  Enclosed with the petition are 
          copies of two affidavits from H. Malka Louzoun, counsel to the Rent 
          Stabilization Association, (RSA) swearing to his mailing of the 
          annual apartment registrations for 1985 and 1990, respectively, in 
          bulk postal delivery, to the stabilized tenants of the subject 
          building.  Also enclosed were the RSA apartment mailing lists for 
          those years which listed mailing dates of May 23, 1986 and July 11, 
          1990, respectively.  Finally, the owner objects to the finding that 
          the tenant paid rent of $530.00 for the period from December, 1985 
          through March, 1986, when its own records document payment of the 
          lawful rent of $500.00.

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

          Section 2528.4(b) of the current Rent Stabilization Code provides 
          that the owner's failure to properly and timely comply with the 
          annual rent registration requirements shall bar the owner from 
          applying for or collecting any rent in excess of:

               (b)  the legal regulated rent in effect on April 
                    first of the year for which an annual 
                    registration was required to be filed, or such 
                    other date of that year as may be determined 
                    by the DHCR pursuant to section 2528.3 of this 
                    Part.

          Although the owner claims to have duly registered the subject 
          apartment in 1985 and 1990, it is unable to provide documentation 
          to verify this.  There are no registrations of the subject 
          apartment on file with the DHCR for those years.  The owner has 






          FD 110009 RO

          submitted affidavits for the years 1985 and 1990, but failed to 
          submit copies of the registrations themselves and the apartment 
          list accompanying the 1990 affidavit does not list the subject 
          apartment.  Moreover, the affidavits only affirm that the 
          registrations were mailed to the tenant, but say nothing about 
          filing them with the DHCR.  The owner is thus unable to show that 
          the DHCR's records indicating no registration filed for 1985 or 
          1990 are inaccurate, or that the Administrator was in error.  
          Finally, the owner's objection to the Administrator's finding that 
          the tenant paid $530.00 per month from December, 1985 to March, 
          1986 is not supported by evidence.  It is noted that the tenant 
          submitted copies of the cancelled checks which validate the 
          Administrator.

          This order may, upon the expiration of the period in which the 
          owner may institute a proceeding pursuant to Article Seventy-Eight 
          of the Civil Practice Law and Rules, be filed and enforced by the 
          tenant in the same manner as a judgment or not in excess of twenty 
          percent thereof per month may be offset against any rent thereafter 
          due the owner.

          THEREFORE, pursuant to the Rent Stabilization Law and Code, it is

          ORDERED, that this Petition be, and the same hereby is, denied; and 
          that the Administrator's order be, and the same hereby is, 
          affirmed.




          ISSUED:

                                                  ------------------------
                                                  JOSEPH A. D'AGOSTA
                                                  Acting Deputy Commissioner
           
             
                                             







    

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