Contractor's Plan and Invoice Submitted in Spanish

Tenant filed a fair market rent appeal. Tenant was the first rent-stabilized tenant of the apartment and paid $1,150 when she moved in. Landlord claimed that the apartment was gut renovated before tenant moved in and that it was entitled to an improvement rent increase of 1/40th of the cost of those renovations. Tenant disputed this. The DRA ruled for tenant and reduced her initial rent to $1,110. The rent was based on comparables. The DRA disallowed landlord's improvement costs. Landlord appealed and lost. Landlord submitted contractor's plans and invoices in Spanish. The DRA asked landlord to submit a copy of the contract in English, describing the scope and extent of the claimed work. Landlord didn't do so. The check ledger submitted by landlord also was insufficient to document the claimed renovation costs.

47 East 89th St. Assocs./Schuessler: DHCR Adm. Rev. Dckt. No. NJ410028RP (7/2/04) [9-pg. doc.]