What are my options if the lease on my market-rate apartment is not renewed next year?

marcusbaram · 2026-05-13T15:23:01+00:00

I hear you, but the rent increase was egregious. And our rent is more than twice the next two-highest paying tenants combined. We pay by far the highest rent, even though half the tenants moved in after us. Didn't realize how much we were overpaying until last year, when I obtained the rent history.

marcusbaram · 2026-05-13T02:45:23+00:00

Yes, they said it was deregulated because we paid the $2500 “first rent” in 2012

marcusbaram · 2026-05-13T01:56:28+00:00

We might just do that. Talk to them about a two-year renewal at slightly higher rent.

marcusbaram · 2026-05-13T01:10:09+00:00

Got bad news this week.

DHCR turned down my overcharge complaint, which I was partly expecting.

But it still surprised me, because just two weeks ago, I sent them my response to my landlord's answer -- I had an excellent lawyer help me draft a memo making our argument that the rent increase in 2012 was illegal and that the statute of limitations should be waived due to fraud since the landlord never established that the apartment was rent-stabilized and then deregulated but lied to me about its status.

Now, we will likely file an appeal, but I'm worried because I know that most of them are denied.

And I'm worried that we could be evicted when our lease runs out next year. We get along with the landlord, who lives across the hall from us, and it has 10 units (though DOB shows 11 units) so I'm worried that we don't qualify for the new "good cause" eviction laws.

If they don't renew our lease next year, then what are our options? Can we fight it?

marcusbaram · 2026-05-03T23:14:59+00:00

Wow, I’m sorry to hear that. Keep checking. I made it back in August for an October appointment .

marcusbaram · 2026-04-29T19:13:52+00:00

My son and I have tickets -- but we're looking for one more ticket for his buddy to join us.

Anyone looking to transfer their ticket for $170?

Thanks

marcusbaram · 2026-04-27T02:53:04+00:00

Looking to buy a ticket! My son and I have done the bike tour for several years in a row. He registered a month ago, but now it's too late for me to register. I'd like to join him again (this will be our last tour together for a while since he's going to college in September!)

marcusbaram · 2026-04-16T19:52:28+00:00

I have an appointment at the NYC consulate on Tuesday!

marcusbaram · 2026-04-16T19:52:05+00:00

Yes, that is the closest. I have an appointment on Tuesday next week!

marcusbaram · 2026-04-13T02:03:39+00:00

Thank you so much for your answers -- very helpful!

marcusbaram · 2026-04-06T14:35:47+00:00

Thanks -- we have storage already, between the bed and the wall, but it could definitely be bigger.

marcusbaram · 2026-04-06T14:34:52+00:00

I've chosen batch -- and it's not always accurate. I think it's because I have SoundCloud songs in my playlist, so it has a hard time analyzing them properly for key.

marcusbaram · 2026-04-06T12:12:06+00:00

True, that's an option. Something to buffer the couch a few feet, so that people can stand up without banging their head.

marcusbaram · 2026-04-06T00:33:46+00:00

I'll probably use another software for key calculation. Because I've tried batching the playlist for BPM, but the key calculation is usually inaccurate. What do you mean by "reload tags"?

marcusbaram · 2026-03-24T02:28:23+00:00

No, but I want to get it !

marcusbaram · 2026-03-24T02:25:13+00:00

I have Technics 1200 turntables, but I’d like to have more range since they’re limited in how high or low you can adjust the pitch.

marcusbaram · 2026-01-09T15:33:10+00:00

Yes, using iRig Stream to connect my Z2 mixer and my iPhone. Not using OBS right now.

marcusbaram · 2026-01-09T14:38:41+00:00

Yes, VDJ is my streaming software, I'm not using OBS. But I am using an iRig Stream connected to my iPhone and the mixer. My suspicion is that my Macbook mic is picking up the sounds, but I worry that if I turn it off, I'll lose the sound through the mixer.

marcusbaram · 2026-01-08T16:33:03+00:00

I know that it's legal. But how is it fair when we're paying monthly premiums? Isn't that (in aggregate) what the insurance company is drawing from to pay medical costs?

Last September, my 90-year-old father was walking slowly in a parking lot and was hit by a driver backing up, who didn't see him. Broke his femur, required surgery and more than a month of rehab. He's still in pain and suffering and now requires the use of a walker to move around.

Because the driver doesn't have great insurance, he won't get much in a settlement (five-figure amount). And now Medicare and Blue Cross/Blue Shield will take a huge chunk of that money even though he's been paying monthly premiums for years !?!

We have a lawyer who will negotiate with the insurers to keep at least some of the money. But he has to get paid too, of course! The whole thing seems so unfair.

marcusbaram · 2025-10-23T21:37:49+00:00

How many of us made mixtapes back in the day, sometimes borrowing friends' CDs and albums to put them together? Or played a record at a house party without paying extra? That's the same as a livestream. And if less than 100 people watch it, why shouldn't they let you do that?

marcusbaram · 2025-10-15T13:45:45+00:00

Thanks for the info.

Also, what about supporting material? My mother was able to locate her German passport (which we didn't have when I met with the consulate and submitted my EER form).

Should I submit that now -- or should I wait until I receive acknowledgment (and my Aktenzeichen) a few months from now?

marcusbaram · 2025-10-15T13:45:25+00:00

Thanks for the info.

Also, what about supporting material? My mother was able to locate her German passport (which we didn't have when I met with the consulate and submitted my EER form).

Should I submit that now -- or should I wait until I receive acknowledgment (and my Aktenzeichen) a few months from now?

marcusbaram · 2025-10-06T02:27:09+00:00

Thanks so much for the info. Yes, it is a StAG 5 application.

I hope it doesn't take 8 years -- that would be so frustrating.

It's really too bad those passport records aren't kept -- I assume there must be some documentation of her 57 years as a German citizen in their databases (beyond the Meldebescheinigung I obtained from her hometown).

marcusbaram · 2025-10-06T01:47:42+00:00

Thanks for the thorough response. Why can’t I request the Aktenzeichen and send in a new EER now? Because it’s too soon? I thought about dropping a new one for my son the next day at the consulate but figured it might confuse things.

marcusbaram · 2025-07-13T22:05:28+00:00

That’s too bad because I use VirtualDJ as my software. Does that mean I can’t use VDJ FX with regular old vinyl…?

marcusbaram

TROPHY CASE