Hi all—new to this, sorry if it’s a basic question. I’m in my first rent-stabilized apartment. Lease ends October 31. Yesterday I found the renewal lease folded under my door. The cover letter is dated September 10 but I only got it September 19. It says I have 30 days from the date of the letter to return it, so basically by October 10? That seems short. I thought I was supposed to get 60 or 90 days? And there was no envelope, just paper. Can they count days before I actually had it? I don’t want to mess up and lose the renewal.

Ugh, dealing with almost the same thing. Did they send it certified or by email too? Our landlord slid ours under the door but also emailed a PDF. I don’t know if under the door counts as service. Did you check if the front door camera or super saw when it was dropped? I’d call 311 or HCR, but following this because I’m not clear if the date on the letter or the day you actually get it controls. If they backdated it to hurry you, that feels wrong.

Nah, that's not how it works. They don't get to date it Sept 10 and act like you were served Sept 10 when it's under your door on Sept 19. For stabilized renewals in NYC, the landlord has to serve that renewal offer within 90–150 days before your lease ends. October 31 lease end means they should have gotten it to you by early August at latest, not mid-September sliding it under a door. The 60-day clock to accept starts from proper service, not the typed date. No envelope/no postmark is bad proof for them. Take a photo of it lying where you found it, don't sign yet, and call HCR. They may still owe you a renewal, but you want it in writing that the service date is wrong.

Seconding Flatbush_Fi. I had a backdated renewal in Kingsbridge a few years back—date handwritten, no postmark, no envelope. I didn't yell, just emailed management: "I received this September 19, please confirm the date and method of service." They ended up sending a corrected one by certified mail. That paper trail changed the convo.

On a completely different note, if you need to clear your head while HCR takes forever, the earlier thread “Cold Spring without a car: Little Stony Point on foot from the station?” is worth a look — Cold Spring without a car: Little Stony Point on foot from the station?

Thanks all. I just texted the super and he said "we left it on the 10th," but nobody in the apartment saw it until the 19th. I still have the folded paper and took a photo. Flatbush_Fi, you said the clock starts after proper service—does under the door count at all? I haven't called HCR yet but will Tuesday. One more thing: the letter says if I don't return it in 30 days, they may not renew. Can they actually do that for a stabilized lease? I’m stressed but glad I didn’t just sign.

That last line sounds like a scare tactic. Under the rent stabilization rules, the renewal is generally at your option if the landlord hasn't properly served you and there's no legal reason to refuse. A missed fake deadline can't erase your rights. Call HCR and ask exactly about service by "personal delivery" vs mail and when the 60 days starts. Also email management your version now: "Received September 19 under apartment door, no envelope, letter dated September 10." Don't argue with the super—paper only. And don't sign any new rider under pressure. In East Harlem there's a housing clinic at the community center; might be worth an appointment if you want a live person to look at the letter.

This thread is teaching me a lot. I’m in a Dyker Heights building and my landlord says I’m not rent stabilized, but my neighbor keeps saying the building should be stabilized. Is there a way to look that up by address? I’ve been paying cash, which probably makes my paper trail messy. For big_city_beth, definitely email them now with the date you actually got it. Even if they push back, they have to answer it in writing. Good luck. Keep us posted after you call HCR.