Evening star., 1942-01-07
Rent Decisions
Not Retroactive,
Cogswe|| Says
Attempts to Use
Office as Collection
Agency Criticized
By JAMES Y. NEWTON.

Robert F. Cogswell, rent admins
traitor, today charged some WASH
ington landlords with attempting to
use his Office as collection agency,
and warned that in cases where he
upholds landlords claims for in
creased rent the rulings will not be
retroactive.
Mr.. CogsWell, who administers the
new District rent control law, ex-
planned that tenants whose rents
have been raised in the last year
have complained their landlords re-
fuse to accept any rent for January.
He said he has evidence that this is
done by landlords who believe he
will rule favorably on their claims
for more rent and that the ruling
will be retroactive to January l,
when the control law took effect.
ANY rulings I make" said Mr..
Cogswell, will take effect the day
they are handed down. They will
not enable landlords to collect any
back rent where increases are called
for. I will not permit this Office to
be used as collection agency"
Cooperation Draws Praise.
The administrators decision means
that large number of property
owners will lose portion of this
years rent, the amount depending
on when their cases are heard. Those
who have furnished apartments or
houses in the last year. of which
there are many, will be particularly
hard hit. They can demand only the
rent in effect on january l. l941,
when the units were unfurnished.
Mr.. Cogswell praised the co-opera-
ton he is receiving from the city's
large property owners and real estate
rental offices. He said that in the
hundreds Of complaints received to
date not one person had charged the
big apartment operators with law
violation. Most of the complaints
have been against owners whose
properties rent from $25 to $40 a
AiIOillIl, VI WllOtIl arc dllG
of the law. He pointed out that ig-
norance of the law is not valid ex-
cuse Penalties are provided for all
violators.
So far, the administrator has
taken no formal action either on
behalf of tenant or landlord. He
merely has been advising the proper
n tnt DIV hn ~
this week or the first of next printed
complaint forms will be ready, and
then he will be able to start formal
action on the hundreds Of cases
awaiting decision. Ast
Helpless in Some Cases.
There are numerous cases, he said
where the complainant is deserving
of help but where he can do nothing.
He cited the cases Of a poor, young
mother who visited him yesterday,
baby in arms. She said her land
lord, the latter part of last year, de-
manded more rent for the apart
ment she occupied with her husband
and baby. When they were unable
to meet the increase, the landlord
moved them to cheaper and less
desirable quarters in the building.
The quarters were so bad the
mother said she appealed to the
Health Department. The depart
ment ruled the place unhealthy as
it was cold and gas was escaping
from heater. The mothers prob
lem is that she has to move, and, as
she has paid rent on the property
has no funds to move to a better
place.
Mr.. Cogswel said there was Moth
ing he could do to help her. He ex-
planned the family made a mistake
in moving from the better quarters
when the landlord demanded the
rent increase. Had they remained
there, his Office could prevent the
landlord from raising the rent.