The Washington times., 1925-03-14
TORS
ADJUST
RENTS
Real Estate Board Will Arbi-
trate in Tenant-Land-
lord Disputes

Apartment mouse QWeIicrS aHO
other residents of the District OF
Columbia who are having contro-
versies with their landlords OF
real estate agents relative to in
creased rents, evictions or other
matters, are urged to take their
problems up with the Washington
Real Estate Board by William E.
GUIDE, a member Of the District
Rent Commission.
Sees Good Substitute.
With the Congressionally-d doomed
Rent Commission passing out Of
existence within a short time, Mr..
GUIDE feels that the Washington
Real Estate Board will make a
splendid, though unofficial. substi-
tute for the commission in settling
controversies between landlord and
tenant
According to John A. Petty. sec
rotary Of the Washington Real
Estate Board, more than twenty
cases involving evictions, increased
rents, improvements to apartments
and other matters already have
been settled by the board to the
satisfaction Of both the tenants and
owners within the past few weeks.
The Washington Real Estate
Board Is in a position to render
a splendid service to the people Of
Washington in the settling Of con.
troversies between landlord and
tenant" Mr.. Guide declared today.
L know they already have done
up, and feel confident that 1t will
be, 1t will answer as a good substi-
tute Tor the Rent Commission which
goes out of existence next May"
Against General Increases.
The action of the Washington
Real Estate Board yesterday in
going on record against general
or unwarranted increases in rent,
or evictions of tenants, has the
approval of the majority of real
estate agents and owners of the
District, Mr.. Petty said.
My experience has been, in
settling about twenty controvers-
les in the past two weeks between
landlord and tenant, that a large
number of complaints which would
ordinarily go to the rent commits
sion, can be amicably adjusted
through this office" Mr.. Petty de-
clared.
lie cited a number of instances,
among them being a case where
a landlord had served a notice on
tenants demanding a $40 monthly
increase in rent. 1t was the con-
tention Of the tenants, he said,
that the apartment house in ques-
ton was not in good condition. it
being in the need Of papering,
painting and other improvements.
The case was compromised by the
tenants promising to pay the in
crease II the owner would make
the necessary improvements. This
the owner agreed to do with the
result that new leases were signed
by every one of the tenants and
work of papering and painting was
started Immediately.
Another case he cited was that
OF an apartment house owner who
served eviction notices on about
70 per cent of his tenants. While
no particular reason was given,
1t seemed largely in retaliation for
complaints made to the Rent COM
mission.
New Leases Signed.
Tenants took the matter up with
Secretary Petty of the Real Estate
Board, who held conference with
the owner after which the eviction
notices were withdrawn, and new
leases, without calling for increased
rents. sent to the tenants concerned.
"These are only two of many
cases." Mr.. Petty said, land only
goes to show that in a majority OF
instances that landlord tenant SQUAD
bles can be settled to the satisfaction
Of both parties"
1t is the intention of the board,
he said. in cases where the landlord
or real estate agent refuses to be
fair or reasonable in settling dis"
pute with tenant to make public
the details of the case and the name
Of the offending realtor.