University of Virginia Library

Rent Freeze Facts
Pamphlets Available

By MIKE RUSSELL

Included in the President's wage-price
freeze, is a rent freeze which affects all
rents regardless of when leases or
agreements were signed.

The Charlottesville Tenants
Association, after conferring with the
Internal Revenue Service, is distributing
IRS information pamphlets on the wage
price freeze, and aiding students and
townspeople in filing complaints against
landlords who have raised rents.

According to the Cost of Living Council
pamphlet. "The Wage-Price Freeze: Questions
and Answers", "Rents on apartments and
houses cannot be raised during the freeze
period. Even if an agreement had been signed
before August 15 and scheduled to go into
effect after the 15th, the increase wouldn't be
allowed.

Rebates Received

Many people have already received rebates
from their landlords for illegally raising rents.
The Tenants Association has not been able to
compile a full list of landlords who have raised
rents, but are waiting for people who suspect
that their rents were illegally raised to stop the
Association's table on second floor Newcomb
Hall.

David Barnes, chairman of the Tenants
Association, said that anyone suspecting that
their rents had been raised should do several
things. First they should stop at the table
between 12 noon and 2 p.m. and obtain a copy
of the IRS pamphlet. If their landlords seem to
be violating the freeze, and refuse to return the
illegally raised portion of the rent, the person
can receive help from the CTA in filling out a
complaint. The matter will then be turned over
to the Internal Revenue Service.

New Apartments

The freeze pertains to new apartments as
well. They must be priced comparably with
other units in the area. Students who have
rented a house for the first time, and think that
the rent was raised above that charged to the
previous occupants, also have cause for
complaint.

A landlord cannot raise the rent from last
spring unless he made capital improvements, or
can show that during the 30 day base period
before August 15 he was charging rent higher
than last spring. Even then he cannot raise the
rent above that charged during the summer.

File On Landlords

The Tenants Association, in addition to rent
counseling, have a file of landlords, the services
they offer, and any complaints lodged by the
renters. This file is open to inspection. Renters,
Mr. Barnes feels, would profit from learning
what previous occupants have felt about the
landlord and his practices.

The Tenants Association is also looking into
other areas of concern for student renters.
They are continuing to build the complaint and
information file, and are helping student
council compile and distill the recent
off grounds housing questionnaire.

Mr. Barnes stressed that people with
questions, or complaints, or people that wished
to help the Association should come by their
table and speak with him or other
representatives of the CTA.