The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-01-15
How NV X. III
Sterilization
viii Operate

Editors Note; This is the last
in a special se-les Oh articles on
rent sterilization, prepared in CO.
operation with the office OF Rent
Stabfization.l
Experience has shown that most
landlords honestly seek to comply
with the law. But among land
lords. as with any large group,
there are the cEise'ers and gou-
gers. These are the ones who, IN
the face of an acute housing short
age, would seek to charge what
the traffic will bear.
OF necessity, If rents are to be
kept stabilized, there must be
compliance program.
Rent sterilization prople do not
like to consider themselves as
policemen. Rather, they prefer the
role of mediator, or negotiator.
In the great majority of cases,
that's all it takes. The Rent Office
explains to landlord and tenant
the provisions of the national rent
sterilization law and seeks to work
out a friendly settlement of diff
ferences in keeping with the law.
But in cases where it's necessary
there's a big stick in the rent
law which can be used to stop
rent gouging.
+ The two most common violat-
ions of the rent sterilization law
are illegal eviction and over
charges. Eviction pro, nction was
DISCUSSED in an earlier article in
ills series.
Tenants are protected from over
charges by provision in the law
which permits a suit against the
landlord for treble damages, plus
court costs and attorneys fees.
The Rent Office may also secure
court injunction against further
overcharges. Any future violation
would place the landlord in con-
tempt of court and subject to such
fines and imprisonment as the
court might decree.
In actual practice, there are
two types of compliance methods
used by the Rent Office.
In most cases, the Rent Office
simply serves as mediator. When
a violation is reported, both land
lord and tenant are asked to come
to the office to a conference. Every
effort is made to effect q friendly
settlement of differences. The Rent
Office representative advises both
parties as to the provisions of the
law.
Experience throughout the coun-
try has shown that in an over
whelming majority OF cases, a
settlement is reached which is sat.
isfactory to both. In such cases. If
there has been an oyercharge,
settlement Is almost always base,
IN sivr~'n rc~~'.-re ont - 49,
exact amount, with no punitive
damages.
This type of case--and ii repre-
sents the great majority handled
by any Rent Office--is based upon
the belief of rent sterilization of
ficials that most violations are not
intentional. The yare the cases that
are officially described as mon
wilful".
II is the second type--the cases
which are clearly and obviously
deliberate and calculated attempts
to defy and evade the rent stabil-
ization law--which calls for use of
the full authority granted a Rent
Office by the Federal rent law.
These are the cases which in.
volve the landlords who are re-
peat vi0lators, or who are con-
stantiy seeking. by one device or
another, to extort rentals in ex-
cess of the legal ceiling. In these
instances. the Rent Office demands
treble damages for an overcharged
and. if necessary, obtains a court
Injunction to halt further violat-
IONS, SO .tai. lsas;'