Why is it important to pay the Rent Registration and Systematic Code Enforcement Program (SCEP) fees?
Unless specifically exempted from Rent Registration, an owner cannot legally collect rent from a tenant unless the owner has paid the annual rent registration fee and served one copy of the Rent Registration Certificate on the tenant of the rental unit. Tenants can raise the non-payment of Rent Registration and/or SCEP fees by the owner as an affirmative defense againt eviction of the tenant.