Tenant Wanted to Add Roommate as Co-Tenant

Rent-stabilized tenant complained of improper lease renewal. She claimed that the legal rent on her renewal lease was incorrect and that she was being charged improperly an additional fee to have her boyfriend added to the renewal lease. The DRA ruled for tenant based on landlord’s failure to respond. Landlord appealed and won. Landlord showed that it had filed an answer with the DRO. Landlord argued that it properly gave tenant and her boyfriend a new lease at a vacancy increase in response to tenant’s request to add her roommate as a co-tenant. There was no rent overcharge. The DHCR also had approved landlord’s issuance of a vacancy lease to tenant and her roommate in a prior order.

Zara Realty Holding Corp.: DHCR Adm. Rev. Docket No. EQ110042RO (11/2/16) [3-pg. doc.]