Lease Renewal

What Are the Rent-Stabilized Lease Renewal Timelines?

Background:

Generally, tenants in rent-stabilized apartments must be offered renewal leases. The renewal lease can be for a term of one or two years, at the tenant's choice, and any adjustment is at a rate set by the NYC Rent Guidelines Board. The renewal lease offer must be made on a form created by or on a facsimile approved by the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal.

Lease Renewal Timelines:

In New York City, the owner must give written notice of renewal by mail or personal delivery not more than 150 days and not less than 90 days before the existing lease expires on a DHCR Renewal Lease Form.

After the renewal offer is made, the tenant has 60 days to choose a lease term, sign the lease, and return it to the owner. If the tenant does not accept the renewal lease offer within this 60-day period, the owner may refuse to renew the lease and may also proceed in court after the expiration of the current lease, to have the tenant evicted.

When a tenant signs the Renewal Lease Form and returns it to the owner, the owner must return the fully signed and dated copy to the tenant within 30 days. A renewal should go into effect on or after the date that it is signed and returned to the tenant but no earlier than the expiration date of the current lease. In general, the lease and any rent increase may not begin retroactively.

If the owner does not return a copy of the fully executed Renewal Lease Form to the tenant within 30 days of receiving the signed lease from the tenant, the tenant should nevertheless pay the new rent, and may file the "Tenant's Complaint of Owner's Failure to Renew Lease and/or Failure to Furnish a Copy of a Signed Lease" [DHCR form RA-90].

Sources:

New York State Department of Housing and Community Renewal Fact Sheet #4

New York City Rent Stabilization Code, Section 2523.5
Tenant Protection Regulations, Section 2503.5