Help! Rent overcharge any adive appreciated

[pinarello]

This is a bit long but here it is.
I moved in to a rent stabilized building in 2003. I signed a rent stabilized lease for $1265 and did not receive a lease rider. I have requested this lease rider once on the phone and 2 times via letter to the management company. When I spoke to the managing agent I was informed that our rent was calculated correctly. To no avail, I did not receive it. Nor has anyone in our entire 6 unit rent stabilized building which is now registered.

The backgound on the management company: They do not make repairs, we have gone several days with out heat, we pay for our hot water, and our windows are old and do not open. These are just a few problems. With their behavior it is no wonder no one in the building was given a lease rider.

So, I received the rent history from DHCR. I was not suprised to see the that the last dollar amount on the report was in 1997 for $550 and the apartment was vacant. For 1998 to 2001 the LL did not register and in 2002 the registration shows V 12/27/2002 tenant: not found
amount missing.

According to our neighbor, this was a woman living in our apartment but moved out in 2001.

When we moved in the apartment was renovated. New bathroom sink, kithcen renovated with new cabinets, floor, sink and new carpeting through out.

I need help. I think I with all of the other tenants are being overcharged. How do I calculate what the rent should be? Do I go by the $550 in 1997? I have been reading the posts for rent overcharge and I am a bit confused. Does the 4 year rule mean I can only go back 4 years with regard to the apartment registration information provided by DHCR? If so there is no dollar amount and no registration.

As an added note, all of the tenants in the building are now writing a tenant wide letter to the management company requesting this information.

I do not want to file with DHCR unless I know I am being overcharged.

Thanks

Brooklyn tenant

<small>[ January 07, 2005, 10:30 AM: Message edited by: serotta ]</small>