Mathieu v. Abrams

The petitioner and other tenants in controlled housing appeal from an order sustaining a rent increase granted by the State Rent Administrator under the 6% net annual return formula.

The appellants assign several grounds of alleged error, none of which seem tenable except one. As to that we agree that the procedure followed here is arbitrary.

In proceedings of the present nature, the accounting section of the commission examines and audits the landlord’s books to ascertain the income and expenses of the building.

The tenants are not permitted to examine the landlord’s records, and we agree that…