Hi, I received a COVID deal in June 2021 where on my lease, my rent was legally $3250, but with a few months free, I had a lease rider which has allowed me to pay close to $2700 for a 1 bedroom. My landlord is raising my rent $900, which I believe is legal if the unit is on market. My next door neighbor has a rent controlled unit and has lived in the building for 40 years, she has encouraged me to investigate if the unit is stabilized and I have requested the rent history from DHCR. The building is OLD and has 26+ units.
History:
1984-2011: *REG NOT FOUND FOR SUBJECT PREMISES*
2012: RS-TE 12/14/2016 EXEMPT
2013: *REG NOT FOUND FOR SUBJECT PREMISES*
2014: *REG NOT FOUND FOR SUBJECT PREMISES*
2015: RS-TE 7/29/2015 EXEMPT
2016: RS-TE 12/14/2016 EXEMPT
2017: RS Legal Regulated Rent: 3149.25 Prefer. Rent: 3050.00, VAC/LEAS
2018: RS Legal Regulated Rent: 3149.25 Prefer. Rent: 3050.00
2019: RS Legal Regulated Rent: 3188.64 Prefer. Rent: 3150.00 LEAS/RNL
2020: RS Legal Regulated Rent: 3236.47 Prefer. Rent: 3150.00
The strange thing is that I know my unit was occupied by 2 different supers in the past. One is a current "super" who lives in the related building next door. We do not have a good relationship and I haven't asked any details about the unit. The second one lived in the building 9 years ago, and when he moved in he "renovated" the apartment. It sounds like he lived in the building for 5 years (maybe moved in 2012 and left in 2017).
I plan on trying to ask the other tenant who lived in the unit more recently as well as my neighbor for more insight, but I'm having trouble understanding what the unit would be categorized while either super was living it it (is the rent regulated? is there rent?). It's very frustrating that most years it says *REG NOT FOUND FOR SUBJECT PREMISES* as I'm not sure what to do with that. Additionally, from 2017-2020, it looks like the unit was treated as rent stabilized (the increases + "RS" on the rent history) -- not sure if that's an accurate interpretation, as I've never seen rent stabilized units at this high of a price. Any advice appreciated!