u/Icy-Passenger3250

I rented a 1-bedroom apartment via a Broker last year and have been paying $2300/mo. I also paid $2300 as a commission to a broker. I'm 90% sure that this unit is rent-stabilized although not 100% sure.

Now I've received a lease extension contract that lists the new rent price at $1850 and change.

How could this be possible? While I'm glad for the price drop, I feel something fishy is going on here, and I may have been overcharged during the first year.

I have a couple of thoughts on this:

1. The broker could've screwed me over by adding a ~$500 surcharge on top of my monthly rent (which might've been $1800 for the first year, hence the current increase to $1850 for the renewal), however I don't see how they could've done it since the lease is between the landlord and the tenant (me) separately listing them as broker. I.e I don't have a lease "through" the broker.
2. The landlord might've overcharged me and realized that they've been overcharging and are trying to sweep this under the rug?

Any wisdom/advice on this?

Thanks!