How Rent Stabilization Works and How to Find Rent Stabilized Apartments

What Is Rent Stabilization?

Rent stabilization is a New York State law that limits how much a landlord can increase your rent each year and provides other important tenant protections. It applies to apartments in buildings with 6 or more units, built before 1974 (with some exceptions), where the rent was below a certain threshold when the law took effect.

The Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) meets annually and votes on the maximum allowable rent increases for stabilized apartments. For 2025, the board approved increases of approximately 2.75% for one-year leases and 5.25% for two-year leases — far below what unregulated landlords can charge.

Key Protections of Rent Stabilization

• Annual rent increase limits: Your landlord cannot raise your rent by more than the RGB-approved percentage each year
• Right to renewal: Your landlord must offer you a lease renewal. They cannot refuse to renew without legal cause
• Right to sublease: With landlord approval (which cannot be unreasonably withheld), you may sublet your apartment
• Succession rights: Family members living with you may inherit your lease if you move or pass away
• Overcharge protection: If your landlord charges more than the legal regulated rent, you can file an overcharge complaint
• Required lease terms: Leases must be offered in 1 or 2 year terms at your option

How to Find Out If Your Apartment Is Stabilized

There are several ways to check:

1. Check your lease: Rent stabilized leases are required to state "Rent Stabilized" on the cover page and include a Rider explaining your rights
2. Look up the building on HCR: The NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) maintains a database of rent stabilized buildings at rentguidelinesboard.cityofnewyork.us
3. Request your apartment's rent history: You can request the official rent registration history for any apartment from HCR, which shows every registered rent going back years
4. Check RenterBuzz: We cross-reference buildings with HCR data and display rent stabilization status on building pages

Common Myths About Rent Stabilization

• Myth: "Rent stabilized apartments are in bad buildings." False. Stabilized apartments exist in every neighborhood in every borough, from walk-ups in the Bronx to prewar buildings on the Upper West Side.
• Myth: "My landlord told me the apartment isn't stabilized." Landlords sometimes fail to disclose stabilization status. Request your rent history from HCR to verify independently.
• Myth: "I can't negotiate my stabilized rent." You cannot pay less than the legal regulated rent, but you can negotiate other lease terms.
• Myth: "Stabilization means I can never be evicted." Tenants can still be evicted for nonpayment of rent or lease violations. Stabilization protects renewal rights, not absolute occupancy.

What Happened Under the 2019 HSTPA

The 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act significantly strengthened rent stabilization. Key changes include:

• Eliminated most pathways for landlords to remove apartments from stabilization (ending "luxury decontrol")
• Capped rent increases for Major Capital Improvements (MCIs) and Individual Apartment Improvements (IAIs)
• Extended the overcharge lookback period from 4 to 6 years
• Strengthened harassment protections against landlords trying to push out stabilized tenants

Your Rights If You're Being Overcharged

If you believe you're paying more than the legal regulated rent, you can file a rent overcharge complaint with HCR. Remedies include a refund of overcharges plus interest, and in cases of willful overcharging, treble damages (3x the overcharge amount).

Start by requesting your apartment's rent history through HCR's website or by calling 718-739-6400.