Posted by Cranky Tenant on August 11, 2001 at 16:52:39:
In Reply to: REALLY FRUSTRATED – Please read & comment!!!!!!!!!!!! posted by yudesca on August 10, 2001 at 20:37:32:
We had a similar situation in the Rent Stabilized building where I live. Several years ago the LL added $300 to the registered rent. Several tenants pointed this out to him. He said he would corrected it, but each year he continues to add the normal increases to this ficticious amount.
My neighbor commented at the time, that her under $500/month apartment was then registered at $800 or $900/month. Some time later she took a buy out and the apartment was rented $1500/month a few months later. My guess is, your landlord is hoping to eventually de-stabilize the apartment without making the required capital investment.
Another tenant who moved in more recently got a rent history and discovered his $1,000 apartment had a legal rent that was about 1/3 of what he was paying. He sued for treble damages but he says the LL never paid and he'll have to take it out in rent.
: I was advised to get a rent history because I felt that my landlord was overcharging me. On the rent history, I noticed a jump from $498 to $823 on a rent stabilized apt. I called DHCR and they advised me to come in and show my papers for a counselor to review.
: I just got back from the DHCR office in Manhattan very disappointed. The counselor was not very supportive and in certain instances he “shut me down”. I felt like I was having a discussion with my landlord. I thought they were there to help me not make me feel like I was an idiot!!!
: Anyway his comment was that there is no way of him finding out whether or not the jump in rent was legal until I file a complaint because the history only went as far as 84’. I told him that I was not going to lose anything filing the complaint and at least I would be at ease with whatever decision was granted. He told me to keep in mind that I would be pissing the landlord off!! I told him I was sure of that but am willing to suffer the consequences.
: I was on Housingnyc.com’s site and came across a vacancy calculator and plugged in all my dates and #’s. I went back as far as 1970 with the $498 rent and even included $2000 for oven and fridge (which I doubt he spent!). According to that calculator, he is entitled to raise the rent 46.5%, which comes up to $724. So if the tenant paying $498 when she left occupied this apt after 1970 why is he raising the rent so much?
: My lease is up for renewal now so I will sign it and return it before I file my complaint. It’s worth a try!!!
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