Queens has one of the largest concentrations of rent-stabilized apartments in New York City, particularly in neighborhoods like Jackson Heights, Astoria, Woodside, and Elmhurst. With that comes a high volume of rent overcharge claims — many tenants are paying more than the law allows without knowing it.
The 2019 New York's tenant-protection law was a landmark victory for Queens tenants. It eliminated most of the deregulation pathways landlords used to escape stabilization, strengthened the overcharge remedy, and made it significantly harder to harass stabilized tenants out of their homes.
Free Rent Stabilization Check — Queens
Go to HCR.ny.gov and enter your Queens building address. If your unit shows as stabilized and your current rent exceeds the registered legal regulated rent, you may have an overcharge claim. We review this for free and can identify the value of your potential claim in the same call.
Landlord harassment cases in Queens have increased sharply in the years since the tenant-protection law passed. Landlords who can no longer easily deregulate apartments have turned to harassment as their primary tool for emptying stabilized units. Courts take this seriously — civil penalties, damages awards, and injunctions are all available remedies.
Rent Overcharge
Stabilized units, treble damages
Harassment
Heat, repairs, illegal entry
Repairs
HP Actions in Queens Housing Court
Eviction Defense
Wrongful holdover proceedings
Lease Renewal
Illegal refusals to renew
DHCR Complaints
Formal rent overcharge proceedings