Tenant Can Request Rent History Records Back to 2001

Landlord sued to evict unregulated tenant for nonpayment of rent. Tenant claimed improper deregulation of the apartment based on landlord's fraudulent scheme to deregulate rent-stabilized units. Tenant argued that DHCR rent registrations showed a pattern of deregulation for high-rent vacancy with unexplained rent increases and a failure to file registrations for years. The court granted tenant's request to conduct pretrial questioning and to ask landlord for document production. A fraudulent scheme was suggested by irregular rent increases for years and landlord's failure to explain claimed individual apartment improvements and rent registration discrepancies. Tenant was permitted to demand rent history records going back to 2001.

ABJ 340 LLC v. Maldonado: Index No. 4537/2018, NYLJ No. 1562582849 (Civ. Ct. Bronx; 5/23/19; Weissman, J)