Evening star., 1941-12-31
Rent Confusion
Marks Advent
Of New Law
Landlords, Tenants
Puzzled; Act Goes
In Effect Friday
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

HunQreQS OF ldnOlOTQS anu n NUM-
Der of Washington's more than 120,.
900 tenant families were in a guam
dairy today over the amount of rent
they should ask and pay under the
District Emergency Rent Act which
becomes effective on Friday. They
fused issues, but none was forthcom-
ing from Rent Administrator Robert
F. CogsWell. In fact, due to lack OF
space and conditions beyond his
control, Mr.. Cogswell won't even
have an Office when the law goes
into effect.
Real estate rental Offices and as
sociations representing landlords.
notably the Washington Real
Estate Board and the District
Building Owners and Managers As
sociation, were besieged with re-
quests for enlightenment on scores
of different problems dealing with
January rents. Only in few cases
could helpful answers be given, for a
majority of problems of landlords
and tenants have not been dealt
with by the rent control Office.
Mr.. Cogswell is not held respon-
sible for the confusion by the realty
interests They point out he was
not appointed until December II
and was sworn in only week ago.
His headquarters have been highly
inadequate table and chair in Com
missioner Young's Office at the Dis
trict Building. 1t was decided to
quarter the rent control Office at
458 Indiana avenue NV, where the
Defense Council Homes Registry is
located. Inspection revealed the
building as unsafe to house heavy
files and equipment of the rent Of
flee. Then it was decided to estab-
lish Mr.. Cogswell in the old Force
School, 1740 Massachusetts, avenue
NV. The structure is badly in need
of repair. Although carpenters and
painters are working on it, the place
probably will not be ready for oc-
cupancy before the middle of next
week.
Some Bills Held Up.
The act freezes rents and services
at the price they were on January l,
1941, and makes provision for hear
ing on requests for adjustments OF
rents in effect on tnat date which
are considered unfair. Due to the
arrival in the city ol thousands OF
Government workers in the last
year, the status of hundreds of
rental units has been changed. 1t
is largely the owners and tenants
of these units who are worried now.
Bills for January are due to go
out today. Many landlords are
withholding bills pending clarifca-
ton from Mr.. Cogswell Others are
sending them out, hoping they are
not in violation of the rigid control
law.
| Furnished apartments are caus-
ing the most trouble. The demand
for furnished units has increased
| greatly within the year with the
arrival of the defense workers.
Apartment owners, in the attempt
to meet this demand, furnished
large number of units and naturally
costs. There is no fixed price for
adding furniture to the unit. The
| owner now doesn't know whether
to send out his January bill omit
ting the furniture fee, or to include
it and hope he is not violating the
rent law by overcharging. Under
the act, an owner who innocently
overcharges is subject to civil suit.
Where the charging of unfair rent
is held to be Wilful, the landlord
is subject to criminal prosecution.
New Apartments Offer Problem.
One owner posed a particularly
difficult problem to his landlords
association. He owns an older
building in which 80 apartments
have been changed this year. Some
Of them are newly furnished while
in others furniture has been re-
moved. The association was unable
to help him decide what rents to
charge the 80 tenants He finally
decided to charge for the furniture
and deduct in the cases where
furnishings have been removed, and
hope his rates will meet with ap-
proval.
Owners Of the 7,403 new apart
ment units which have been occu-
pied this year also are uncertain
as to what January rents to ask.
Many are fearful they will be held
III violation Of the act They would
be willing to adjust them now il
they knew what to do.
Another example cited of a board
ing house operator, who last Janu-
ary l was renting large room to
two girls at SIS each. During the
year a third girl moved in and she
was charged SIS. The operator
feels that under the law the room
rent should be reduced to a total OF
$50. But she feels this would BIZ
unfair, as service for the new board
er has increased her cost of opera =
tion. Real estate men say that
boarding houses will furnish some
of the most difficult problems for
Administrator Cogswell to iron out
Lacking instructions from the
rent control Office, the Districts
landlords are meeting their prob.
lens in number of ways. Many
owners are planning to hold Janu-
ary rents IN escrow, pending review
of their cases by Mr.. Cogswells
Office. Others are not sending bills
, at all, while some who own newly
furnished units are submitting bill;
excluding cost of furniture, hoping
they can collect the additional sums
when they are told what to charge
However, under the latter procedurs
there is no way the landlord car
force the tenant later to pay fo'