Tenant Didn't Answer Request for Income Verification

Landlord applied in 2011 for high-rent/high-income deregulation of tenant’s rent-stabilized apartment. The DRA ruled for landlord based on tenant’s failure to submit income verification information. Tenant appealed and lost. Tenant claimed that she was unable to file tax returns for the years in question due to issues resulting from her employer’s protracted business closing and going out of business. Tenant had not filed her returns for 2009 and 2010 and claimed her total annual household income was below the deregulation threshold. The DHCR ruled against tenant. Although tenant answered the DHCR’s initial notice of landlord’s deregulation application, she failed to answer three follow-up notices from the DRA seeking income verification information. Tenant didn’t deny receiving these notices and, even if she hadn’t filed her tax returns, this was no excuse not to answer the DRA. The DRA’s notices warned tenant that she could be deregulated if she failed to respond.

Barry: DHCR Adm. Rev. Docket No. CR410008RT (6/8/15) [7-pg. doc.]