[Note: for other years not included in this Fact Sheet,
see the Rent Guidelines Board [RGB] Orders section on TenantNet.
For the table in this Fact Sheet, format the text to a
monospaced font, i.e., Courier.]
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DHCR FACT SHEET #26
Division of Housing and Community Renewal
GUIDE TO RENT INCREASES FOR RENT STABILIZED
APARTMENTS IN NEW YORK CITY
This is a guide to rent increases for Rent Stabilized apartments
in New York City. You may separately request a printout of the
rent registration information on file for your apartment and it
will be sent to you in a separate mailing. This will assist you
in reviewing the rental history of your apartment.
The rent history will show the rent your building owner
registered for your apartment for April 1 of each year with the
Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). Rent changes
occurring after April 1 will be included in the rent shown for
April 1 of the following year. Listed below are 3 examples of
what can cause changes in rent levels:
ADJUSTMENTS APPROVED BY THE NEW YORK CITY RENT GUIDELINES BOARD
(RGB).
When an apartment is rented to a new tenant the owner is allowed
to increase the last tenant's rent by the most recently approved
guidelines adjustment for the 1 or 2 year lease term, whichever
the new tenant chooses, plus an adjustment called the vacancy
allowance. The rent Increase for a renewal lease however, will
only be the adjustment for a 1 or 2 year lease. Listed below are
recent increases approved by the NYC Rent Guidelines Board.
For Leases ----------------Types of Leases----------------
Starting Between 1 Year 2 year New Lease
Vacancy
Allowance
10/1/87 - 9/30/88 3% 6.5% 10%
10/1/88 - 9/30/89 6% 9% 12%
10/1/89 - 9/30/90 5.5% 9% 12%
10/1/90 - 9/30/91 4.5% 7% 5%
10/1/91 - 9/30/92 4% 6.5% 5%
10/1/92 - 9/30/93 3% 5% 5%
Examples on how to apply the Rent Guidelines Board's Adjustments
9/30/91 Present Rent = $450.00
10/1/91 1 Yr Renewal Rent = $450 x (1 +.040) $468.00
10/1/91 2 Yr Renewal Rent = $450 x (1 +.065) = $479.25
10/1/91 2 Yr Vacancy Rent = $450 x (1 +.065 + .050) = $501.75
NOTE: In addition to renewal and vacancy guideline increases, the
RGB, in certain years, has ordered additional amounts for
apartments renting below a certain amount. For example. an
apartment renting for less than $325, between 10/1/89 and
9/30/90, would be eligible for an additional $5 increase in
addition to the vacancy allowance and guidelines increases.
MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT (MCI) INCREASES APPROVED BY DHCR.
An MCI increase may not be charged until a DHCR order is issued
authorizing the charge and setting the amount. MCI increases can
only be charged after the owner has made a new installation(s).
For instance, a new buzzer/intercom system is an MCI as are
boilers, windows, roofs and other building-wide installations.
The MCI increase, which increases the rent by a per room amount,
affects the lawful rent of every rent-regulated tenant in the
building. [See Fact Sheet on Rent Increases for Major Capital
Improvements]
INDIVIDUAL APARTMENT IMPROVEMENTS
If an apartment has a tenant in occupancy, the owner can only
receive a rent increase for the Individual Apartment Improvement
if the tenant consents to the increase by signing a document
agreeing to pay an increase for the improvement(s). However, if
the apartment is vacant, tenant consent is not required. The
increase to the tenant's rent as a result of the apartment's
improvement is 1140th of the total cost including installation.
For example, if a new refrigerator is installed in an apartment
and the owner's expense is $320.00, the tenant's rent would
increase by: 1/40 x $320.00 = $8.00 per month. The increase, if
taking place on a vacancy, is not compounded by the guidelines
increases, but rather should be added to the lawful rent after
application of the guidelines increases. [See Fact Sheet on Rent
Increases for New Services, New Equipment, or Improvements to An
Apartment]
Based on the information being provided to you, if you think your
rent is incorrect, it is recommended that you discuss this with
the building's owner or managing agent before filing an
overcharge complaint with DHCR. Thereafter, if an overcharge
complaint is warranted, or you need assistance in completing the
requested form, please contact our information staff at (718)
739-6400.
Please note that by law your complaint must be filed with the
DHCR within four years of the first overcharge alleged. Failure
to comply with the time limits for filing an overcharge complaint
will result in an inability to challenge the lawfulness of the
rent.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
The amount of a security deposit is usually equal to one month's
rent. However, if a tenant deposited a two month security deposit
with the owner when the apartment first came under rent
stabilization the owner may continue to collect from that same
tenant a security deposit equal to two months rent. The next
tenant, however, may not be required to deposit more than one
month's rent as security.
When a lease is renewed at a higher rental amount, or the rent is
increased during the term of the lease, the owner may collect
additional money from the tenant to bring the security deposit up
to the new monthly rent.
If the tenant disagrees with the owner over the payment of
interest or the return of the security deposit after the tenant
vacates the apartment, the tenant should contact the Consumer
Protection Bureau of the New York State Attorney General's Office
or begin a proceeding in a court of competent jurisdiction
(usually, small claims court).
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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.
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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
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