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Annual Apartment Registration - Legal Rent

NYC Rent Regulation: Rent Control/Rent Stabilized, DHCR Practice/Procedures

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Annual Apartment Registration - Legal Rent

Postby 2k6stang » Wed Nov 30, 2016 4:51 pm

Hey all - I have a quick question for you all today.

By no-one elses's fault but my own :( I forgot about the Annual Apartment Registration that I received in the mail a few months back. This is Form RR-2A and is required to be sent to all tenants of rent-regulated buildings on an annual basis. I just recently came across the form and realized I never called to question like I originally had wanted to.

Long story short:
-In section (8a), it states that the Legal Regulated Rent on 4/1/2016 is roughly $1,400 per month.
-I moved in on 5/1/16. Can you please help me understand the amount in section 8a? Is this the max legal rent that the landlord is allowed to charge? I have been paying roughly $1,850 per month.

Just moved into NYC and am unfamiliar with how things work here. This is also my first rent-regulated apartment. Can anyone shed some light on this? Am I being overcharged?

Thanks for taking the time to read this! :D
Last edited by 2k6stang on Wed Nov 30, 2016 5:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Annual Apartment Registration - Legal Rent

Postby TenantNet » Wed Nov 30, 2016 5:00 pm

Never put your actual rent on a public Internet forum. Round it off. Change that now.

Why is it your fault?

LLs must register units on or before July 31 of each year indicating the legal rent as of April 1 of that year.

Do you have a preferential rent, and is there a PR rider on your original lease?

It's possible you might be overcharged. First thing to do is get a rent history from DHCR. See what the rent has been over time.
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Re: Annual Apartment Registration - Legal Rent

Postby 2k6stang » Wed Nov 30, 2016 5:24 pm

I'm usually more on top of things like this. Slipped my mind and ended up i nthe bottom of my filing cabinet.

I'll have to take a look when I get home to be sure, but I am almost certain that I have a Rider. I'm not sure about the preferential rent aspect of it. What should I be looking at in regards to the rider and lease?

I will go ahead and request the rental history. I read somewhere that when an old tenant vacates, the landlord can increase up to 20%. Is that true? Could that be the reason for me paying above the legal rent (the period it was vacant before I moved in)?

Is this something I should reach out to the Landlord to discuss? I want to be educated in the area before I speak with them.
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Re: Annual Apartment Registration - Legal Rent

Postby TenantNet » Wed Nov 30, 2016 5:35 pm

Do NOT speak to the LL at this point. Do NOT let the LL know you're looking at things. You have 4 years to make a challenge.

You need to find out exactly when the previous tenant left, and what the rent was at that point.
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Re: Annual Apartment Registration - Legal Rent

Postby 2k6stang » Wed Nov 30, 2016 5:39 pm

Awesome - thank you so much for the advice. I'll be sure to request the rental history from DHCR right away, as the site says it will take 5 days or so.

Before coming to this forum, I emailed NYC DHCR with questions pertaining to this Rent Registration form...basically what I am asking here. Hope that isn't a problem - just wanted to make sure I was understanding the form correctly. I came to this forum after that email.

I will be sure to not speak with the LL. Thanks for the help - glad to see that there is a lot of knowledge and experience here :)
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Re: Annual Apartment Registration - Legal Rent

Postby dzdz » Wed Nov 30, 2016 5:54 pm

The DHCR doesn't (that I'm aware of) contact building owners about tenants requests
That said, don't expect them to be helpful in any way
They are in their own words not a proactive organization

Did the lease you signed list a legal regulated rent and a preferential rent?
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Re: Annual Apartment Registration - Legal Rent

Postby TenantNet » Wed Nov 30, 2016 6:11 pm

That's what I asked above ... that could possibly clear up any discrepancy. But also the rent history will add some detail. Something is amiss if he's paying $1850 and the registration indicates the legal rent as $1400.

The rider to which I referred would be a Pref. Rent rider, not the DHCR informational rider.

The OP should do his investigation quietly and only take action once he's got all the evidence he needs.
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