NYC Landlord Raises Tenant's Rent from $2845 to $4100, Despite the One-Bedroom Apartment Having Bird Mites in the Shower

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Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Jun 4, 2026 12:30 PM EDT

Just because it's legal doesn't mean that it's right.

One of the hardest parts about renting in NYC is that you are a dime a dozen. Your landlord could say, "I could easily rent this apartment for $3000 more than I'm renting it to you for," and they wouldn't even be bluffing. There is a limited amount of housing stock, and there is no shortage of people looking for housing at any given moment. When you get a good deal on an apartment, you want to hold onto it as long as possible, but that good deal doesn't always last. There aren't a lot of landlords in New York City who are willing to rent you an apartment for the same price for years and years. They want to make as much money from their rentals as possible, and they are willing to raise the rent as much as they possibly can to get it. 

Some landlords will raise the rent for the explicit purpose of forcing a tenant out. They know they probably can't pay nearly 50% more in rent than they're already paying, so they increase the rent exponentially to drive out the undesirable tenant. 

The tenant in this story doesn't think she's undesirable: just unlucky. That hasn't stopped her landlord from increasing her rent so much that she can't afford to stay in her current place. 

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  • A representation of NYC apartments, where the landlord can drastically increase the price of rent with the drop of a hat.
    via Lewis J Goetz

    A representation of NYC apartments, where the landlord can drastically increase the price of rent with the drop of a hat.

  • My landlord raised my rent 44%. Are they allowed to do that?

    Ironically, I was worried my rent would go up $100, and boy did it. My rent went from $2845 to $4100. Is this even allowed? I've had so many problems, IE still have
    via u/UnitAutomatic804
  • bird mites living in my shower for the last month after asking my landlord literally 10 times to fix it, and he called me impatient. Everyone in the building has either never
    via u/UnitAutomatic804
  • A bug model representing a bird mite, a tiny parasitic arachnid that feeds on the bl**d of birds and humans.
    via Viktor Forgacs

    A bug model representing a bird mite, a tiny parasitic arachnid that feeds on the bl**d of birds and humans.

  • had their rent raised, or was raised $25-$50. Mine was already raised $100 last year. What the actual f . I know this sounds like I am the problem, but I am not at all. I always
    via u/UnitAutomatic804
  • pay my rent, I'm friends with other tenants, I'm quiet, and have kept the space looking pristine. I even offered to repaint the ceiling fan to get the dust stains off from the
    via u/UnitAutomatic804
  • A picture of a ceiling fan, which the tenant in this story graciously offered to repaint, despite the general negligence of her landlord.
    via Kalyanaraman S

    A picture of a ceiling fan, which the tenant in this story graciously offered to repaint, despite the general negligence of her landlord. 

  • last tenant. Looking into Good Eviction laws, but any other advice would be helpful. I love my place, and the housing market is out of control. No one would EVER pay
    via u/UnitAutomatic804
  • $4100 for my space, these people are out of their g d In minds. Family owned too, disappointing. Really feel like they're trying to get me out because I ask to get
    via u/UnitAutomatic804
  • things fixed. God forbid.
    via u/UnitAutomatic804
  • Grendel_82 It "feels like they're trying to get you out"? It only feels like it? Dude, that is a "get out of my life" rent raise. It might not be fair because you aren't a problem, but your landlord wants you gone.
    via u/Grendel_82
  • UnitAutomatic804 OP I will just never understand because issues that happen to the building or apartment have nothing to do with me actually doing anything. Last year, a pipe burst in my bathroom because it was old af and they had to redo my entire bathroom (I left for 5 days and didn't make them take any rent off, then lived here with no bathroom for another 3 days STILL NO RENT OFF). Or our boiler f ed up and i was almost hospitalized from the fumes because they got me high and so dizzy. Never
    via u/UnitAutomatic804

  • There's no winning in this situation. You can sit back and refuse to complain, even when you have every right to, and still be viewed as an undesirable complainer because you don't want to live in the same house as a bunch of bl**d s**king bugs. 

  • __eptTechnomancer Start doing 311 complaints and also ask if that was the amount they meant to raise it. How many days notice are they giving you?
    via u/__eptTechnomancer
  • UnitAutomatic804 OP 60, which is legal. they moved my lease date to end a month later because they were already 30 days late on giving me this renewal
    via u/UnitAutomatic804
  • YourHuckleberry32_ Sounds like you'd be better off finding a new place to live. For almost $3000 you deserve better than mites in your shower
    via u/YourHuckleberry32_
  • UnitAutomatic804 OP I agree, but it's slim pickings here. People are paying $3k for microscopic studios. Idk who can afford anything decent anymore
    via u/UnitAutomatic804
  • Ok_Tale7071 Landlords are using specialized software to optimize their profit, and take advantage of the shortage in housing. Comps are probably similar. It's not you, it's the housing market.
    via u/Ok_Tale7071
  • delg23 Unless you are rent stabilized it is legal. I looked at an apartment and noticed the rent was raised dramatically and it was only rented last year. I asked about it. Because of that I asked for a 2 year lease. The landlord declined, so I didn't take it.
    via u/delg23
  • drhagbard_celine My landlord tried to raise my rent in Chelsea by $1000 to $4600 for a fourth floor walk up two bedroom apartment with no amenities. That was four years ago. The replaced the kitchen cabinets/countertop, and installed a shower door, and now, four years and three tenants after I moved out the rent is $6400. I moved to Queens, to another fourth floor walk up, and am paying half what I was in Chelsea when I left and my commute to midtown is easier.
    via u/drhagbard_celine
  • Careless_Yoghurt_822 Landlord wants you out. I bet you pulled the "I know my rights" BS and suggested you'd take some kind of legal action against him/her and the landlord just waited for the lease to expire to get rid of you.
    via u/Careless_Yoghurt_822
  • UnitAutomatic804 OP nothing of the sorts, not even a 311 call
    via u/UnitAutomatic804

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landlord neighbors tenant shower rent money mites new york city apartment
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