The Washington times., 1920-05-15
RENTbOARD ORDERS
PHONE RESTORED
Commission Makes First Ruling
= Of This Kind Since Its
Inception.

The District Rent Commission to-
day ordered a landlord to restore
telephone service to a tenant upon
the Implication that such a service is
as muol TO be expected in certain
instances when a lease Is signed as
heat hot water, janitor and other
services.
IL was the hrst determination OF Its
Kind by the commission. and was
made in the case OF Congressman
Fred ii. Dominick against Moore Il
HSl, Inc. as agents.
Mr. Dominick resides In apartment
SO, the Champlain. 1924 X street
northwest. In his complaint he de-
clsred that he regarded telephone
service as part OF his lease, since
telephone was installed In his apart
ment.
Refused 20 Pay. Pksae Taken.
He related TO the commission that
such service was discontinued after
he refused to meet a 10 per cent In
crease In rental. He produced a let
ter from the defendants which stated
that since this increase was not met
Ii was necessary to curtsil certain
services. OF which the telephone
would be the frst.
The defendants took the position
that telephone service was not speci-
hed in the lease, but that the lease
signed by Congressman Domlnick was
the same as the average apartment
house lease in which no telephones
are furnished.
The rent, commission ordered the
defendants to restore the telephone
service within ten days.
I2S Rnts Reduced.
| In a resumesof it's work issued this
morning, the rent commission showed
that from January 81 to May is rents
| have been ordered reduced in 125
cases, while increases were permitted
! in only twenty-fv cases.
Since the creation OF the commits.
sion, 1,116 complaints have been filed
or these. 2I0 petitions have been de-
termined, and Ala petitions have been
heard. There are ten complaints
awaiting determination. There were
| 1926 dismissed by determination OF
| parties, and 10 were determined In the
form OF motions. OF the complaints
disposed OF. 264 were issued involving
! possession and $50 were rental dis
putes.
| Notice InsufAcient.
In nine other determinations hand
led down this morning the commission
declared that the 30-days' notice to
quit apartment 2, the Preston, 1743
p street northwest served on the
| defendant was legally insufficient in
the case of c. w. Simpson Co. Inc.
against G.. r, Creeron.
| The complainant was denied pos
session of 1925 # street northwest IN
the case of George II. Franklin
against David Rodgers.
The complainant was given posses
sion of 316 Thirteenth street north
east in the case of Pearl f. and Alice
l s. Dennison against w B. Runkles.
| In the case OF the Capital Construc-
tion Company against Joseph ]. Hall,
1 the commission set $50 so as a fair
rental for 2021 Portner Place north
west.
/ Possession Denied.
| The appeal of Charles L. Myers fof
possession of the garage at 643 Mary
land avenue northeast for the purpose
! of rebuilding was denied in his case
against +. S. Grismond.
In the case of Hannah v. Lynn
I against ID. II. Johnson Company the
commission set S25 ss a fair rental
! for 443 NJ street northwest.
! In the case of l.. J. Barr against
r. Thomas Robinson. the rental for
/ 1424 Rhode Island avenue northwest
was reduced from $50 to $40.
| The commission set $50 as fair
/ rental for apartment 81, the Lehigh.
2605 Adams Mill road. in the case of
Magdalena Diebitsch against Boss &
Phelps, Inc. and Mrs. Thomas n.
| Noble.
! The complainant was given posses
sion of $50 French street northwest
in the case OF Adelaide Murray
/ against Joseph Jones.