Compare your options
Three paths to a NYC overcharge recovery.
Honest tradeoffs between filing your DHCR claim yourself, hiring a tenant attorney upfront, and using RentGuard. No marketing dust — just the costs, the timelines, and the work.
At a glance
Pick the path that fits your case.
Do it yourself
$0 cost. All the work.
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Cost if you win
- $0
- Cost if you lose
- $0 — but you spent the time
- Time you spend
- 20–60 hours of research and forms
- Knowledge required
- You must learn the RSC, HSTPA, RGB orders, RA-89
- Form preparation
- You fill the RA-89 yourself
- Attorney sign-off
- No
- Settlement negotiation
- You negotiate with landlord’s attorneys yourself
- PAR (administrative appeal) handling
- You file and brief it yourself
- Best for
- Tenants with legal background and lots of time
Hire a tenant attorney
High service. High cost.
- Upfront cost
- $1,500 – $5,000 retainer
- Cost if you win
- Retainer + 25–40% of recovery
- Cost if you lose
- Retainer is gone
- Time you spend
- A few intake conversations
- Knowledge required
- They handle it
- Form preparation
- They prepare it
- Attorney sign-off
- Yes — they are counsel of record
- Settlement negotiation
- They handle it
- PAR (administrative appeal) handling
- They handle it
- Best for
- High-stakes cases, contested PARs, complex landlords
RentGuard
Best of both.
- Upfront cost
- $0 free analysis · $500 flat OR contingency
- Cost if you win
- Flat $500 (keep 100%) or contingency: 25% on settlement, 33% on judgment
- Cost if you lose
- $0 (contingency) or $500 (flat)
- Time you spend
- ~10 minutes intake + uploading documents
- Knowledge required
- We handle it; you review every word before filing
- Form preparation
- Auto-prepared from your rent history; you sign
- Attorney sign-off
- Yes — partnered NY attorney reviews every filing
- Settlement negotiation
- On contingency: attorney handles. Flat: we coach you
- PAR (administrative appeal) handling
- On contingency: attorney handles. Flat: guidance only
- Best for
- Most tenants — straightforward cases handled fast
| Dimension | Do it yourself All the work | Hire an attorney High cost | RentGuard Best of both |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $0 | $1,500 – $5,000 retainer | $0 free analysis · $500 flat OR contingency |
| Cost if you win | $0 | Retainer + 25–40% of recovery | Flat $500 (keep 100%) or contingency: 25% on settlement, 33% on judgment |
| Cost if you lose | $0 — but you spent the time | Retainer is gone | $0 (contingency) or $500 (flat) |
| Time you spend | 20–60 hours of research and forms | A few intake conversations | ~10 minutes intake + uploading documents |
| Knowledge required | You must learn the RSC, HSTPA, RGB orders, RA-89 | They handle it | We handle it; you review every word before filing |
| Form preparation | You fill the RA-89 yourself | They prepare it | Auto-prepared from your rent history; you sign |
| Attorney sign-off | No | Yes — they are counsel of record | Yes — partnered NY attorney reviews every filing |
| Settlement negotiation | You negotiate with landlord’s attorneys yourself | They handle it | On contingency: attorney handles. Flat: we coach you |
| PAR (administrative appeal) handling | You file and brief it yourself | They handle it | On contingency: attorney handles. Flat: guidance only |
| Best for | Tenants with legal background and lots of time | High-stakes cases, contested PARs, complex landlords | Most tenants — straightforward cases handled fast |
When you should NOT use RentGuard
We’re not always the right answer.
RentGuard is built for the most common NYC overcharge cases — straightforward analysis, prepared filings, attorney sign-off. We are not the right fit for every situation:
- Active eviction proceedings. If your landlord is trying to evict you, you need a housing attorney first. We can analyze your overcharge separately, but eviction defense is its own specialty.
- Class actions or building-wide litigation. If your whole building is organizing a coordinated case, a tenant law firm with class-action experience is a better fit.
- Cases that have already gone to court. If your overcharge claim was raised in housing court rather than DHCR, a litigator with that case’s history is the right path.
Ready to see if you have a claim?
The free analysis is a 5-minute commitment.
Decide whether to file with us, file yourself, or hire someone else after you see what we find. No pressure, no obligation.