Skip to main content
DRAFT FOR ATTORNEY REVIEW — NOT FINAL

Afshar v. District of Columbia Rental Housing Commission, 504 A.2d 1105 (1986)

Citation
Afshar v. District of Columbia Rental Housing Commission, 504 A.2d 1105 (1986)
Parent Document
Afshar v. District of Columbia Rental Housing Commission, 504 A.2d 1105 (1986)
Jurisdiction
DC (municipal)
Effective Date
1986-01-24

Other Sections in This Document (62)

Full Text

1,205 chars
The 1977 Act states that any person who “demands or receives any rent for a rental unit” in excess of that unit’s rent ceiling, or “substantially reduces or eliminates related services previously provided,” shall be liable for “treble the amount by which the rent exceeds the applicable rent ceiling or for seventy-five dollars ($75.00), whichever is greater, and/or for a rollback of the rent to such amount as the Rent Administrator or Commission shall determine.” D.C.Code § 45-1699.24(a) (1980 Supp.). Thus a landlord who even demands rent in excess of the established ceiling will be liable for either treble the excess (at least $75.00 in any case), a rollback of the rent, or both. The same penalties apply to a landlord who substantially cuts back or eliminates services to his tenants; but unless the rent actually charged exceeds the rent ceiling, he would be liable at most for $75.00, and the rent would be subject to a rollback. However, since a substantial reduction in services is also a ground for a reduction in the rent ceiling, D.C.Code § 45-1692 (1980 Supp.), which may be made retroactive to the date of the reduction in services, it can retroactively trigger treble-damage liability.