2020 New York Rent Regulation Checklist

The challenges of understanding and applying the law of rent control and rent stabilization have never been more…well…challenging. While complying with the law has become more complicated, owners of rent-regulated buildings are under increasing scrutiny from enforcement agencies and tenants.

Owners can face many confusing hurdles that can delay or derail their efforts when:

• seeking lawful rent increases for major capital improvements or individual apartment improvements;
• providing or modifying required services; or
• following housing court procedures for cases concerning nonpayment of rent or lease violations.

This guidebook can save owners and their advisors valuable time by answering questions on topics including:

• assignment
• subletting
• major capital improvements
• preferential rents
• temporary exemption from rent regulation
• and many more

This NEW edition highlights changes to the rent control and rent stabilization laws under HSTPA, which include:

• Repeal of vacancy deregulation and high-rent / high-income deregulation;
• Elimination of vacancy increases for new tenants;
• Alteration of rent increase programs for major capital improvements (MCIs) and individual apartment improvements (IAIs) from permanent to temporary rent increases, with reduced permissible rent increases; and
• Curtailment of recovery of dwelling units by individual building owners for personal occupancy to one unit upon a showing of compelling necessity.

Modeled after the popular New York City Apartment Management Checklist, this new book presents each chapter with plain English explanations of the law and regs, including:

• Who Is Affected
• What the Law Requires
• How to Comply
• Deadlines
• Penalties for Failure to Comply
• Forms Required
• Relevant Court Rulings and DHCR Decisions
• Relevant Text of Law

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Eileen O’Toole, Esq. practices landlord-tenant law with a concentration in landlord-tenant litigation, particularly disputes concerning rent control and rent stabilization issues. Ms. O’Toole also writes New York Landlord v. Tenant, a monthly case law digest; and the annual NYC Apartment Management Checklist, both published by The Habitat Group.

Table of Contents 

1. Assignment, Subletting & Roommates; 2. Demolition; 3. DHCR Powers & Procedures; 4. Eviction of Rent-Regulated Tenants; 5. Fair Market Rent Appeals; 6. Harassment of Tenants; 7. Hardship Rent Increase; 8. High-Rent/High-Income Deregulation; 9. High-Rent Vacancy Deregulation; 10. Horizontal Multiple Dwellings; 11. Individual Apartment Improvements; 12. Leasing Requirements; 13. Major Capital Improvements; 14. Nuisance by Tenants; 15. Owner Occupancy; 16. Permanent Tenants: Hotels, SROs, Rooming Houses; 17. Pets; 18. Preferential Rents; 19. Primary Residence; 20. Rent Control Coverage; 21. Rent Fraud; 22. Rent Overcharge; 23. Rent Registration; 24. Rent Stabilization Coverage; 25. Rent Subsidies: SCRIE & DRIE; 26. Rent Surcharges for Appliances & Utilities; 27. Required Services; 28. Security Deposits; 29. Short-Term Rentals; 30. Substantial Rehabilitation; 31. Succession Rights; 32. Tax Benefit Programs; 33. Temporary Exemption from Rent Stabilization; 34. Tenant Protection Unit; 35. Miscellaneous Requirements