The Washington times., 1919-08-06
]. CREATORS
SEE NO LEASE
UPHEAVALS
tenants Now Know Rights Un-
der Salisbury LaW-Many
Agree to Fair Rent Raise.
By BILL PRICE.

with the approach of the period o
the year when leases upon apartment
and houses formally expire, the viey
among real estate men today is thai
despite numerous notices being serve
upon tenants to vacate or to pay in
creased rentals. there will be no up
heaval, and that tenants will volur
tarily pay increases or refuse, Just a
they think fair, inasmuch as the bull
or the tenants now know what thei
legal rights are under the SauIsbur,
law and the amendment which con
tinues it for ninety days after
proclamation Of peace.
There are still many people who ar
not posted on the Salisbury law, an,
who frequently make inquiry of TIL
Times as to their status as tenants
For the Information of these inquir
ers and all others the facts are:
The Salisbury Law.
Your lease of apartment, house
or rooms, no matter when IL ex-
PireS, remains good, so long as
you pay your rent and comply
with the terms, until ninety days
after peace has been proclaimed
by the President Of the United
States.
Legal Officers Of the Govern
meat have Informally held that
peace IL not n reality md will not
be proclaimed until the Senate
has ratified the terms Of the
agreement between Germany and
the United States.
IL IL ND to yOu whether you
pay any attention TO n notice re-
curing q new lease with or with
ont Increase Of rent or any no
tice TO VRcate.
The landlord knows full well
that he can not legally dispOssess
You and IL he should try IL and
you are summoned BY the NUM-
eiPaI Court to vaeate you will
md IL an easy task to defend
your case before this court and
the verdict will be I'm your favor.
II you feel that your rent is
low and not fair to the landlord
you can agree to pay an in
creased rental and sign a new
lease which will hold good. Some
tenants are Icing this. Many
others are refuEinE.
A Case In Point.
Here is a case in point: Some time
ago tenants of the Ripley apartment
1924 r street northwest, received
notices from Gardiner & Dent to
yacate and a day or so later notices
that their rents would be increased
September l, new leases
for which must be signed not later
than August Is. The increases
averaged from 20 to 30 per cent.
A few of the tenants have agreed
10 voluntarily increase their rentals
but the most of them have notified
the agents that they will not pay
my attention to the notices.
In turn they have been told that
4 they do not agree to what the
landlord believes to be fair rentals
they will be quickly dispossessed
of their apartments the minute the
salisbury law does become inopera-
i've and will not be allowed TO re-
main no matter what they agree 10
pay.
Mr.. Gardiner stated today that
some of the tenants in the Ripley arc
their apartments at enor-
nous profits in violation Of their con.
tracts, and that court proceedings
will be promptly instituted against
these August Is. There was no
doubt, he said. that the courts would
put these tenants out II they were
subrentinE in violation OF their lease.
which prohibits this.
Here is Just one case in that
spartment," he said: a woman rents
-wo rooms and bath for $3.50 per
very cheap, and in no way
the landlord. She
bought about 800 in furniture for the
rooms. and for months has sUbIet
.hese two furnished rooms for $50 per
month. She frankly admits this.
THE real profteers in rentals
Washington have been
.hese subrenters, who have made
small fortunes. We have another case
n that apartment OF four rooms and
bath for which we charge S35 per
month. The rooms are sublet TO SIX
zfrIs for more than $40 per month. In
7anv cases the tenants rent rooms at
PRICES almost large enough to pa
heir whole rent.
Real estate agents and landlords
ave determined to rid themselves of
hose tenants engaged in subrenting
n enormous profits. Decent and fair
Nn0lOrQS anu ICdl GGAdAI lAltAA ST. al
he blame for this. / do not hesitate
o saw that Washington landlords are
lot today averaging 6 per cent net
,eturn upon their properties"
A tenant whose lease permits sub
,enting can not be evicted from an
or house any more than
nv other tenant, under the Salisbury
ct. The crusade of the real estate
nen is now directed against sub
enters whose leases do not permit
ubrenting.
Fighting For Their Lives.
Mr.. Gardiner and other real estate
gents said today that the class of
,eooIe in washington with whom
hey have much sympathy are the sal
Nv workers for the Government and
Irivate employers.
These classes OF people are prac-
icalIy unable to pay increased rent
Is and are naturally hEhting in
reases, with their backs to the wall.
hey are not often blamed for their
ttitude, even where IL is felt that
he rents charged them are below
cures at which the landlords will
ct fair returns upon investments.
Evictions OF these people, among
be very best Of Washington, would