Defendant appeals, as limited by its briefs, from that portion of a judgment of the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County (Manuel J. Mendez, J.), entered January 6, 2011, after a nonjury trial, which dismissed its counterclaim for unpaid rent. Plaintiff cross-appeals, as limited by his briefs, from so much of the aforesaid judgment as dismissed the complaint.

Per Curiam.

Judgment (Manuel J. Mendez, J.), entered January 6, 2011, modified by reinstating defendant's counterclaim seeking unpaid rent and awarding defendant a recovery of damages in the principal sum of $4,085.32; as modified, judgment affirmed, with $30 costs to defendant-appellant.

The rent overcharge claim asserted by plaintiff-tenant in the main complaint was properly dismissed under familiar principles of res judicata, since the claim could have been litigated in the prior nonpayment summary proceeding between the parties (see O'Brien v City of Syracuse, 54NY2d 353, 357 [1981]).However, defendant-landlord's counterclaim seeking unpaid rent is not similarly barred, inasmuch as the rental obligations sought to be enforced here by landlord had not yet accrued at the time that the earlier eviction proceeding was tried to completion, and could not have been sued upon therein. We modify the judgment to award defendant the rental arrears shown to be due at trial ($4.085.32), an amount reflecting a proper offset for the full amount of plaintiff's security deposit.

THIS CONSTITUTES THE DECISION AND ORDER OF THE COURT. [*2]
Decision Date: December 23, 2011