Temple v. DC Rental Housing Commission

536 A.2nd 1024 (1987)

Exemptions

Determination that landlord’s ownership of five rental units rendered him ineligible for the small landlord exemption under the Rental Housing Act, regardless of his occupancy of one of the units, was error as a matter of law; unit occupied by landlord was not rented or offered for rent and thus could not be included in aggregate number of units under landlord’s control for so long as landlord occupied unit.

Treble Damages

Rental Housing Commission’s award of trebled rent overcharges, due to landlord’s failure to timely register his housing accommodation, was justified, despite landlord’s contention that nonregistration constituted “technical” violation, that tenants had full use of property, that he attempted to comply with registration requirements, and that government error caused his nonregistration.