Totz v. District of Columbia Rental Accommodations Commission

This case originated with a tenant’s complaint to the Rental Accommodations Office (RAO) in response to a notice of rent increase. A hearing was held in July 1976, and by decision issued November 30, 1976, the Rent Administrator found, inter alia, that petitioner was not registered with the RAO, that the tenant had been paying rent in excess of the rent ceiling, and that installation of an individual gas heating unit and transfer of heating cost to the tenant without a commensurate rent decrease resulted in a decrease in services.

Because petitioner had not received notice of and had not…