No Proof Tenant's Lease Was Ever Renewed

Rent-stabilized tenant complained of rent overcharge. Tenant claimed that he never signed any renewal lease after signing his initial vacancy lease in 2001. Yet landlord continued to increase tenant's rent. The DRA ruled for tenant. Landlord appealed and lost. Landlord claimed that tenant did sign the renewal leases in question. But the DHCR didn't believe landlord. Landlord didn't respond to the DRA's requests for additional information. Instead, for the first time with its PAR, landlord submitted a sworn statement from an employee claiming that tenant signed leases in landlord's office. The statement wasn't credible. And there were other irregularities. Landlord failed to register the apartment, and never increased tenant's security deposit despite claiming that tenant renewed his lease. Therefore, landlord wasn't entitled to any rent increase over tenant's vacancy rent.

91 Aveline, LLC: DHCR Adm. Rev. Docket No. BN210017RO (9/5/14) [4-pg. doc.]