Feature Articles

Avoid Rent Overcharge Finding If No Rent Was Charged on Base Date

April 19, 2018    

When you defend against a tenant’s rent overcharge complaint, you must prove that you didn’t illegally increase the rent after the apartment’s base date. Section 2520.6(f) of the revised Rent Stabilization Code defines the base date as the date four years before the tenant...

Large Building Owners to Submit Benchmarking Data by May 1

April 19, 2018    

Local Law 84 (LL84) requires owners of large buildings to annually measure their energy and water consumption in a process called benchmarking. LL84 standardizes this process by requiring building owners to enter their annual energy and water use in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency...

File RPIE Statements by June 1

April 19, 2018    

The NYC Department of Finance (DOF) requires certain owners of residential properties to file the Real Property Income & Expense Statement (RPIE) every year. The DOF needs income and expense information each year to value your property accurately.

RGB Releases 2018 Operating Cost, Affordability, Mortgage Reports

April 19, 2018    

The Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) is mandated by law to establish yearly rent adjustments for rent-stabilized apartments in New York City. The board holds an annual series of public meetings and hearings to consider research from staff and testimony from owners, tenants, advocacy groups, and...

Follow Four Rules to Guard Against Race Discrimination Claims

March 27, 2018    

Last October, the Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC), a New York City-based nonprofit civil rights organization, filed a lawsuit against an apartment building owner for allegedly defying housing discrimination laws. The owner, through its employees, allegedly lied to African Americans about the...

DHCR Issues Updated Rider Required for All Rent-Stabilized Leases

March 27, 2018    

The DHCR recently issued a new lease rider, and similar addenda for those rental properties outside of New York City, that must be attached to all vacancy and renewal leases for rent-stabilized apartments. The new rider has multiple sections, but only the first two sections must be filled out by...

DOB Proposes Rules Expanding Energy Benchmarking Regulations

March 27, 2018    

DOB is proposing to amend rules relating to the annual reporting of energy and water use by individual “covered” buildings. Local Law 84, the benchmarking law, was enacted in 2009 and currently affects all buildings larger than 50,000 square feet. The law requires owners to enter...

New Permit Fees for New Buildings and Alteration Filings in Effect

March 27, 2018