§ 771. Commencement; notice of petition; time and manner of service. 1. A special proceeding prescribed by this article shall be commenced by the service of a petition and notice of petition. A notice of petition may be issued only by a judge or the clerk of the court. 2. The notice of petition shall specify the time and place of the hearing on the petition and state that if at such time, a defense to such petition is not interposed and established by the owner or any mortgagee or lienor of record, a final judgment may be rendered directing that the rents due on the date of entry of such judgment from the petitioning tenants and the rents due on the dates of service of such judgment on all other tenants occupying such dwelling, from such other tenants, shall be deposited with the administrator appointed pursuant to section seven hundred seventy-eight of this article, and any rents to become due in the future from such petitioners and from all other tenants occupying such dwelling shall be deposited with such administrator as they fall due; and that such deposited rents shall be used, subject to the court's direction, to the extent necessary to remedy the condition or conditions alleged in the petition. 3. The notice of petition and petition shall be served upon the owner of such dwelling last registered with the department of housing preservation and development of such city pursuant to article forty-one of chapter twenty-six of the administrative code of the city of New York and in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Westchester counties upon the person set forth as the owner on the last recorded deed to the rented property and upon every mortgagee and lienor of record, and upon the city of New York, at least five days before the time at which the petition is noticed to be heard. 4. The proof of service shall be filed with the court before which the petition is to be heard on or before the return date. 5. Manner of service. a. Service of the notice of petition and petition shall be made by personally delivering them to the person or persons required to be served pursuant to subdivision three of this section. Service upon the city of New York shall be made by personal delivery to the commissioner of the city department charged with enforcement of the housing maintenance code of such city, or to an agent duly authorized to accept such service on his behalf. If service cannot with due diligence be made within the city upon an owner, mortgagee or lienor of record in such manner, it shall be made:

(1) upon the owner last registered with the department of housing preservation and development pursuant to article forty-one of chapter twenty-six of the administrative code of the city of New York and in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Westchester counties upon the person set forth as the owner on the last recorded deed to the rented property by delivering to and leaving personally with the person designated pursuant to article forty-one of chapter twenty-six of such code as managing agent of the subject dwelling, and in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Westchester counties upon the person designated as the managing agent of the rented property if one shall have been designated, a copy of the notice of petition and petition;

(2) upon a mortgagee or lienor of record, by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, at the address set forth in the recorded mortgage or lien. b. If such personal service upon the person designated pursuant to article forty-one of chapter twenty-six of the administrative code of the city of New York as managing agent of the subject dwelling and in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Westchester counties upon the person set forth as the owner on the last recorded deed to the rented property cannot be made with due diligence, service upon such last registered owner shall be made by affixing a copy of the notice and petition upon a conspicuous part of the subject dwelling; and in addition, within two days after such affixing, by sending a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the owner at the last address registered by him with the department of housing preservation and development or, in the absence of such registration, to the address set forth in the last recorded deed with respect to such premises. 6. Notice to non-petitioning tenants. Notice of the proceeding shall be given to the non-petitioning tenants occupying the dwelling by affixing a copy of the notice of petition and petition upon a conspicuous part of the subject dwelling.