Landlord Properly Signed Tenant's Rent-Stabilized Renewal Lease

Rent-stabilized tenant filed a lease violation complaint with the DHCR, claiming that landlord refused to offer her a renewal lease on the same terms and conditions as the lease expiring on March 31, 2022; that landlord made changes to the new lease; and that it failed to furnish her with a signed copy of the renewal lease. The DRA ruled against tenant, who appealed and lost. In her PAR, tenant argued that the renewal lease was "null and void" because it didn't contain a valid signature, neither a printed name nor the landlord or landlord's agent, and no date to indicate it was contemporaneously provided to tenant with the signing of the lease. But tenant submitted with her PAR a fully executed two-year renewal lease that commenced on April 1, 2022. The lease was signed by tenant and by the landlord's initials prior to its commencement date. The landlord's signature using initials corresponded to his other signings of previous leases, and therefore the lease was a fully executed renewal lease.

Julian: DHCR Adm. Rev. Docket No. LX210003RT (1/31/24)[1-pg. document]