How can tenants challenge a rent increase?

Tenants in New York have rights when it comes to challenging rent increases. According to New York State Leasing Law, tenants can dispute a rent increase in three ways: by filing a petition to the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR); by filing a complaint with the New York State Supreme Court; or by filing a complaint in Housing Court. When filing a petition with the DHCR, tenants must provide certified copies of their leases and rent receipts, as well as proof of any unreasonable rent increase. The process typically takes around six months to complete. Tenants can also challenge their rent increase by filing a complaint with the New York State Supreme Court. In order to do this, tenants must file a Complaint in Equity and pay a filing fee to the court. The court will then determine if the rent increase is legal or not. Finally, tenants can bring their case to the Housing Court. To do this, tenants must file a Petition for Rent and Possession and serve it to the landlord or building owner. The court will then schedule a hearing to determine if the rent increase is indeed legal. No matter which method tenants choose, it is important that they remain diligent in gathering evidence and present it at any hearing. This will give them the best chance of successful challenge of a rent increase.

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How can tenants challenge a rent increase?

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