The Washington herald., 1918-05-03
RENTS
BILL REDRAFT
CONSIDERED
Anti-P -Profiteering Measure
10 Be Hurried on Account
Of Complaints. q.

OF Sompialnts.a
J So loudly and so insistently
/ have complaints in ,essrd to rent
profiteering come to the Senate that
a full committee OF that body will
meet this morning to consider a
redraft of the johnson Anti-rent
f, Profiteering bill.
From information that has been
obtainable OF late the Senate Com
mittee win waste very little time
J, in reporting back the measure IA
vorably to the Senate.
Senator Jones. Of Washington,
read In the Senate. and had insert
! ed In. the record. . letter sent to
him from the tenants of large
| Washington apartment house COM
| planning that the owner Of the
property was about to evict them,
giving as an excuse that the build
ing was about to be altered for
other occupancy. The building In
question houses nearly $50 people,
most of them government workers.
| who bitterly complain that IL they
are evicted they will not be able to
obtain other homes and will suner
/ thereby.
Wants Quiek Legislation.
The Senator remarked that II
was high time that q law was en-
acted that would make Washing
ton residents safe from the prom
teers.
Although quite different from the
johnson measure. the redraft. upon
which Senator Pomerene has been
working. has plenty Of teeth In II
and its authors believe that 1t will
work wonders when enacted. No
one man will have final say as to
the disposition OF rents. A board
of appeals Is provided to whom
both landlord and tenant may ap-
peal from the rent administrator
in practically the same manner a.
regular court cases are appealed.
The board Of assessors Of the Dis
trict are the ones to whom appeals
from the Rent Administrator will be
taken. The President Is to appoint
the latter. and he must be a resident
Of the District In the redrafted bill
both the landlord and tenant will be
held responsible for infractions Of the
law. The teeth" in the bill are the
following sections:
Question of Trsnsfer.
| Any transfer to q tenant Of any
burden or liability previously borne
by the landloard or lessor shall be
1 treated as an alteration Of rent, and
lwhere as q result Of such transfer.
the terms on which such real estate
lis held are, on the whole. less favor
able to the tenant than the previous
terms, the rent shall be deemed to be
increased. whether or not the sum
periodically payable by way or rent
charge is increased; and any increase
of rent as a result Of any transfer to
a landlord or lessor of any burden OF
liability previously borne by the ten
ant, where. as the result OF such
transfer, the terms on which such
real estate is held are, on the whole,
more favorable to the tenant than the
previous terms, shall be deemed not to
be an increase of rent for the pur-
poses of this act
Sec. l. That no person sail In con-
sideration Of q grant, renewal or con-
tinuance Of any contract or lease re-
quire or receive the payment of any
fee, fine. premium, bonus or other
consideration In addition to the rental
stipulated in said grant, renewal OIL
continuance.
Fixing Of Rentals.
Sec 6. That II the rent of real
estate as herein permitted shall moi
equal per centum net on the valu-
alton thereof as herein determined,
then 1t may be increased so as not to
exceed said amount, subject to the
approval of the rent administrator.
in fixing rents of real estate there
shall be taken into account the take.
and assessments therein. the cost oi
reasonable repairs and maintenance
and Of light, heat and elevator OF
other service where furnished, as well
as all proper allowance for deprecia.
tion. Rents in excess of the rates
herein-provided are hereby declared
to be against public policy and void
and IL paid such excess may be re,
covered by the lessee. his assigns OF
legal representatives IL action shall
be begun therefor within six month.
after the expiration Of his tenure,
Sec. z. That when the real estate
is rented furnished. the rent admins
traitor shall authorize q fair and rea.
sonable increase in the rental Of said
real estate, including furniture, but
such rent shall not be in excess OF
double the amount that the admins.
traitor would be required to fix fol-
said real estate If unfurnished on ali
leases in existence at the time this
act shall take effect. On all real es-
tate rented furnished after this act
shall take effect such rent shall moi
be in excess of 80 per cent of the
amount that the rent administrator
would be required to fix upon such
real estate if unfurnished.
Rates Mutt BE Posted.
"Sec. s. Posting of rental rates
Managers Of apartment houses and
boarding houses and others renting
rooms or apartments, furnished or un-
furnished, shall keep eonspicuously
posted in said hotels, apartment
houses and boarding houses, rooms or
apartments. cards showing the rates
authorized by the rent administrator
for the said rooms or apartments.
Sec. IL. That the rent admfhistra-
tor and the board OF rent appeals are
hereby empowered to summon wit,
nesses and require the production OF
books, papers and accounts, and to
administer oaths and affirmations to
witnesses so summoned, and take tes-
timony respecting the matters cover
ed by this act.
Sec. IL. That no person who know.
ingiy pays or receives rents ON real
estate In excess Of those permitted BY
the terms Of this act or who shall by
any sale or transfer or BY any act
OF subterfuge evade or ATTEMPT Il
evade Its provisions shall be guilty of
misoemeanor and be subject to a
hne not exceeding 5000"