New-York tribune., 1919-12-27
West Side Flat Dwellers
Must Not Smoke or Have
Pianos and Must Pay for
All Their Own Repairs
Fight Vermin at Own Cost
Landlord Refuses to Promise
Heat and Reserves Right
to Evict at Days Notice

Consider, before you rail too vocif-
dition in which the tenants of several
blocks Of apartment houses on the
West Side are held under the terms Of
the leases prepared by the real estate
company managing them.
A copy of one of these leases has
come into the possession of The Trib-
une. 1t is termed by the Mayors Com
mittee on Rent Profiteering, to which it
was shown yesterday, "the most arbi-
trary. onesided form of rental con-
tract" which has ever come to It's no
tice.
Under the contract the tenant, be-
sides paying q substantial rental, is
supposed to do the following things:
He must repair all damage to the
ceilings, walls, plumbing, wiring and
gas fixtures.
He must make good all breakages,
from whatever cause.
He must employ no one but tho jani-
tor to do cleaning.
He must keep the floors carpeted.
Pianos Are Barred
He must not have piano, save by
special permission.
He must submit to having water and
heat cut off if, in the opinion Of the
landlord, he wastes it.
He must not smoke.
He must Furthermore obey any rules
laid down by the landlord. whether
they are incorporated IN the lease OF
not.
On the other hand, the real estate
company, under the terms of the con-
tract, is absolved from all response
Lack of heat If the furnace breaks
down.
Damage caused by fumes, smoke,
dust, vapors. SCOT, water, rain, snow,
gas. steam or electricity"
If the tenant refuses or is unable to
live up to the letter of the contract
the landlord can evict him at once. for
in the lease the tenant valves the SER
vice of any notice as provided for in
the Code OF Civil Procedure.
David Hirshfcld, Commissioner Of
Accounts, also denounced the contract
yesterday, and said he believed no
court would evict a tenant for refus-
ing to live up to the provisions OF this
lease.
Held to Violate City Laws
Charles c. Hughes, assistant to
Chairman Nathan Hirsch. of the Com
mittee on Rent Protitecring. and Leo
Kenneth Mayer. counsel to this COM
mittee. both said that it was their be-
lief that the lease violated the laws of
the Ciy Hih Gpatatrtment regarding
heat and water regulations, and calleed
1t the 'most arbitrary contract verbi-
age" they had ever read.
Mr.. Hughes ard Mr. Mayer also said
that any tenant suffering from the
terms of this contract would have a
full opportunity to obtain redress from
the Mayors Committee.
Among the clauses in the lease.
which is approximately 5000 words in
length, are the following:
ono tenant shall employ any other
person than the janitor of the building
for the purpose of cleaning the leased
premises.
"Thc landlord reserves the right to
resclnd any rules and to make such
other and further rules and regulations
as he may think necessary from time
TO time for the safety of the premises
and its care and cleanliness and for
the preservation Of good order therein
and said rules shall have the same
force and effect as if originally herein
prescribed.
"No pianos shall be taken
in or removed without the written con-
sent of the lnndlord.'
Fight Nermin at Own Expense
at is also understood and agreed
that &c tenant is to keep the floors
covered with carpet and also
to keep tho premises free and clear OF
vermin at his own expense.
THE landlord shall have the privi-
lege TO prescribe the weight of goods
articles, fixtures and merchandise thai
shall be kept within these premises.
"The tenant agrees to make and do
at his, her or their expense, all repairs
to ceilings, walls, plumbing, electric
wiring and gas fixtures and make gooo
any injury or breakage therein.
"And it is further agreed that ii
the tenant or any Of his employees
permits either the hot or cold watel
30 waste or flow away, then. and II
that event, the landlord shall have Tn,
right and privilege to cut Oft and with
hold the supply OF same from thes,
premises; or if the tenant interferes
with any of the steam radiators. o'
registers. OF ii the tenant demand.
heat for the premises when leaving
windows and skylights open. then an,
in that event. the landlord shall hav,
the privilege 10 Withdraw. remove ant
withhold heat from the premises
Liable For No Damage
The landlord shall not be liable
for any damage or Inconvenience which
may he caused the tenant through lacs
of or no heat or by the breaking dowr
of the boiler or furnace
"And the tenant expressly covenants
and agrees to take good care Of said
premises and its fixtures and suffer
no waste; and all repairs that may be
necessary to keep them in tenantable
condition shall be made and done a,
the said tenants own cost ard expense
"Ard II Is further agreed that the
said landlord shall not be liable for
any damage to any property at any time
in said premises or building. from any
cause Whatsoever. nor for any damage
from fumes, smoke, dust. vapors. SCOT
nor for any damage fro m Croton
or other water. rain or snow, gas
team or electricity which may issue
leak or flow into any part of said build
ing or premises from any roofs. lead
ers or skylights or any other place
"No smoking Is permitted in the
premises. No pianos, safes. mu-
sical instruments. or large fixtures
shall be taken in or removed without
the written consent Of the landlord .
It is also agreed that the tenant is to
keep the floors covered with carpet or
other proper and sufficient covering
so as not to annoy any tenant below
or adjoining"
Cash Flyino Prizes ODDOsed