[Note: provisions of this Fact Sheet may not be current pursuant to 1993 revisions of the Rent Stabilization Law.] ------------------------------------------------------------ DHCR FACT SHEET #12 Division of Housing and Community Renewal RENT INCREASES FOR NEW SERVICES, NEW EQUIPMENT, OR IMPROVEMENTS TO AN APARTMENT A building owner may raise the rent in an individual apartment based on increased services, new equipment, or improvements. This increase is in addition to the regular annual Rent Guidelines Board increases for rent stabilized apartments, and Maximum Base Rent increases for rent controlled apartments. If owners add new services, improvements, or new equipment to an occupied NYC rent stabilized apartment, they must get the tenant's written consent to pay the increase. The owner may charge the tenant a rent increase equal to 1/40 of the cost of the new equipment, including installation costs but not finance charges. An order from the DHCR is not required before the owner may collect this type of rent increase. For rent stabilized apartments outside NYC, or for rent controlled apartments statewide, a DHCR order is required before the increase can be collected. The owner must submit the Owner's Application for a Rent Increase Based on Increased Services, Furnishings or Equipment with the Tenant's Consent, Expressed or Implied [DHCR form RA-79b]. If any apartment is vacant, the owner does not have to get either prior approval by DHCR or written consent of a tenant to collect the 1/40 increase. The owner should keep all bills for improved services, new equipment, or improvements to prove their cost in the event a tenant challenges the rent increase. For information about building-wide improvements see Fact Sheets on Major Capital Improvements. ------------------------------------------------------------ DHCR Fact Sheets (series of thirty) are issued by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) as plain- english informational publications. For official agency policies, see DHCR Policy Statements, Advisory Opinions and Operational Bulletins. Also refer to the Rent Stabilization Code, the Rent Stabilization Law and various Rent Control Statutes. Electronic versions of these documents on TenantNet are for informational purposes only and there is no guarantee they will be accepted by any court (or even DHCR) as true copies of DHCR policy. The reader may obtain true copies of these documents from DHCR. Every attempt has been made to conform to the original Fact Sheets as issued by DHCR; TenantNet makes no representation the enclosed material is current or will be applied as written. The reader is advised that DHCR often fails to properly apply, interpret or enforce housing laws. Since housing laws are complex and often contradictory, it is recommended the reader obtain competent legal advice from a tenant attorney or counseling from a tenant association or community group. (rev. 3/13/96) DHCR documents are public documents; the electronic version of such documents have been developed by TenantNet and any added value, enhancements and/or proprietary features are copyright 1994, 1995 and 1996 by TenantNet. These documents may be freely distributed provided they remain intact as herein presented, including this and the top informational banner referencing TenantNet as the original provider. ------------------------------------------------------------ For more information or assistance, call the DHCR Rent Infoline at (718) 739-6400, or visit your Borough Rent Office. Queens Central Office 92-31 Union Hall St. 4th Fl. Jamaica, NY 11433 (718) 739-6400 Bronx One Fordham Plaza Bronx, NY 10458 (718) 563-5678 Brooklyn 250 Schermerhorn St. 3rd Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 780-9246 Lower Manhattan 156 William Street 9th Floor NY, NY 10038 (212) 240-6011, 6012 South side of 110th St. and below Upper Manhattan 163 W. 125th St. 5th Floor NY, NY 10027 (212) 961-8930 North side of 110th St. and above Staten Island 350 St. Mark's Place Room 105 Staten island, NY 10301 (718) 816-0277 Nassau County District Rent Office 50 Clinton Street, 6th Floor Hempstead, NY 11550 (516) 481-9494 Westchester County District Rent Office 55 Church Street, 3rd Floor White Plains, NY 10601 (914) 948-4434 Rockland County District Rent Office 94-96 North Main St. Spring Valley, NY 10977 (914) 425-6575 Albany Regional Office 119 Washington Avenue Albany, NY 12210 (518) 432-0596 Buffalo Regional Office Ellicot Square Building 295 Main St., Room 438 Buffalo, NY 14203 (716) 856-1382 ------------------------------------------------------------