We moved into an apt in Manhattan in fall of 2016. A neighbor mentioned there has a been a number of units who are rent stabilized (RS) and were being overcharged. We never quite looked into it but our lease is renewing at end of the year and started doing some digging. Our DHCR rent history from 1984 shows the following:
1989: 2011: same lady rented for rents ranging $802-1675
2012: amount missing
2013: new guy rented for 3402 for legal regulated rent but also lists a 2500 preferential and says its reason is rent vacancy lease
2014: same guy renews with legal regulated rent listed as 2687 but there is still a column for 2550 preferential rent (PR). Note that the amount increased $50
2015: same guy renews at 2655 (decreased), no amount in PR column anymore, reason listed as lease renewal
2016: same guy renews at 2679 , no PR, reason listed as lease renewal
We moved in the fall of 2016 paying 3000. Our lease is a standard lease, no mention of RS or preferential rent or anything. Just your usual rental lease. No documents provided explaining why it’s no longer a RS unit, no calculations given as to why its now 3k.
There are no IAI documents filed with DHCR. We have 3 MCI docs that total to about $80 that should be the increase in rent from those MCI changes.
The questions I have are:
1. Were the rent increases from previous tenants legal
2. Am I supposed to be in a rent stabilized lease paying less than the 3k I am?
3. Did something suspect happen from the ending rent in 2011 of 1675 to the 2013 rent of $3402 legal regulated rent/2500 preferential rent?
4. Do we not sign our lease renewal and continue to pay the 3k if there is indeed anything shady going on and we pursue a lawyer? They increased it for $100.
Thanks for your help in sorting through this as I determine needing a lawyer or not. Apologies in advance if there's info required info missing.