How to Check if Your Apartment Is Rent‑Stabilized (DIY Guide)
TL;DR – Two free look‑ups (HPD + DHCR) give you near‑certain answers. RentReboot can’t verify an existing lease, but we will alert you the moment a newly‑listed 'verified' or 'likely' rent‑stabilized unit hits the market.
Rent-stabilized Apartments in NYC
- Legal protections as rent stabilization means your landlord can’t just raise the rent by any amount, and you have the right to renew your lease.
- Money at stake because if you’ve been overcharged, you might be owed a refund;and sometimes even triple the amount.
- Leverage if you know what the legal rent should be. You can push back if your landlord tries to charge more.
Step 1 ▸ Run a quick building check in HPD Online
- Go to HPD Online and enter your building address.
- Look for the Registration Summary. If it shows “Rent‑Stabilized Units” > 0, the building is definitely governed.
- Screenshot the page, it might be helpful later if you need to press the landlord.
Heads‑up: Buildings with fewer than 6 residential units are rarely stabilized; skip to Step 4 if yours is tiny.
Step 2 ▸ Verify year‑built & unit‑count using NYC PLUTO
- Go to NYC Planning → Map PLUTO download (free CSV) or use the NYC Zoning & Land Use Map (ZoLa).
- Confirm the YearBuilt ≤ 1974 and the UnitsRes ≥ 6.
- If both are true, odds are high your apartment should be stabilized.
PLUTO data is super easy to navigate and one lookup takes under 60 sec.
Step 3 ▸ Pull your official DHCR rent history (free)
- Email rentinfo@hcr.ny.gov or fax (718‑739‑6406) with:
- your name
- apartment & building address
- copy of government‑issued ID + proof of tenancy (utility bill or lease)
- DHCR mails the full rent roll within 2–4 weeks.
Need it sooner? Some tenant‑rights orgs in NYC do same‑day pickup for ~$40.
Step 4 ▸ Compare the numbers
Year | DHCR Legal rent | Your paid rent | Difference |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | $2,145 | $2,475 | +$330 |
2024 | $2,209 | $2,640 | +$431 |
If the difference is more than 5% for any year, you might have been overcharged. If your landlord charged you a lot more than the legal rent, you could be owed money back. If DHCR agrees you were overcharged, they can order your landlord to refund the extra rent you paid;sometimes with interest or even penalties. It’s like getting a refund for being overbilled!
Overcharge claims can take time, but tenants often get thousands back if they win.
Flags that “This unit should be Rent-Stabilized”
- Building has > 6 residential units & was built before 1974.
- Landlord calls the rent “preferential”.
- Post‑2019 increases look suspicious.
- You signed a vacancy lease rider without RGB rent schedule attached.
Spot two or more? You're likely in a rent-stabilized unit.
What if my apartment isn't rent-stabilized?
- Negotiate anyway and show comparable Rent-Stabilized rents in the building.
- Watch RGB increases as they still anchor neighborhood pricing.
- Set alerts so RentReboot notifies you the instant a verified Rent-Stabilized unit matching your budget appears.
FAQ
Does a doorman building automatically mean free‑market?
No. Plenty of pre‑1974 doorman rentals remain stabilized;always check.
Can I file an overcharge claim without a lawyer?
Yes. DHCR has a self‑service form (RA‑89) but success rates jump 3× with legal help. NYC legal‑aid orgs offer free consultations.
How long does DHCR keep rent records?
Generally back to 1984; prior data may be incomplete.
Next step → Get alerted to get verified Rent-Stabilized listings
👉 Subscribe to RentReboot alerts and we’ll ping you the moment a new rent‑stabilized apartment hits the market.