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

1. Go to HPD Online and enter your building address.
2. Look for the Registration Summary. If it shows “Rent‑Stabilized Units” > 0, the building is definitely governed.
3. 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

1. Go to NYC Planning → Map PLUTO download (free CSV) or use the NYC Zoning & Land Use Map (ZoLa).
2. Confirm the YearBuilt ≤ 1974 and the UnitsRes ≥ 6.
3. 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)

1. 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)
2. 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

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?

1. Negotiate anyway and show comparable Rent-Stabilized rents in the building.
2. Watch RGB increases as they still anchor neighborhood pricing.
3. 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.