4. Provisions of the Chapter not to apply to certain accommodations for specified period. -

Nothing in this Chapter shall apply to any accommodation or part thereof, construction of which, was completed before or after the commencement of this Act, for a period of five years from the date on which completion of such construction was notified to the local authority concerned.

5. Rent in excess of standard rent not recoverable. -

(1) No tenant shall, notwithstanding any agreement to the contrary, be liable to pay to his landlord for the occupation of any accommodation any amount in excess of the standard rent of the accommodation.

(2) Any agreement for the payment of rent in excess of the standard rent shall be construed as if it were an agreement for the payment of the standard rent only.

6. Unlawful charges not to be claimed or received. -

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, no person shall claim or receive any rent in excess of the standard rent, notwithstanding any agreement to the contrary.

(2) No person shall, in consideration of the grant, renewal or continuance of a tenancy or sub-tenancy of any accommodation,-

(a) claim or receive the payment of any sum as premium or pugree or claim or receive any consideration whatsoever, in cash or in kind, in addition to the rent; or

(b) except with the previous permission of the Rent Controlling Authority, claim or receive the payment of any sum exceeding one month's rent of such accommodation as rent in advance.

(3) It shall not be lawful for the tenant or any other person acting or purporting to act on behalf of the tenant or a sub-tenant to claim or receive any payment in consideration of the relinquishment, transfer or assignment of his tenancy or sub-tenancy, as the case may be, of any accommodation.

(4) Nothing in this Section shall apply to any payment made under an agreement by any person to a landlord for the purpose of financing the construction of the whole or part of any accommodation on the land belonging to, or taking on lease, by the landlord, if one of the conditions of the agreement is that the landlord is to let to that person the whole or part of the accommodation when completed for the use of that person or any member of his family :

Provided that such payment shall not exceed the amount of agreed rent for a period of five years of the whole or part of the accommodation to be let to such person.

(5) Any payment made under sub-section (4) shall be deemed to be the payment of rent in advance for such period from the commencement of the tenancy to which it is relatable.

7. Standard rent. -

"Standard rent" in relation to any accommodation means-

(1) where reasonable annual rent or fair rent has been fixed by a competent authority under the repealed Act or prior to the commencement of the repealed Act, as the case may be, by a competent authority under the enactment for the time being in force, such reasonable annual rent or fair rent ;

(2)(i) where the accommodation was let out on or before the 1st day of January, 1948, and the reasonable annual rent or fair rent has not been so fixed, the rent of that accommodation as shown in the Municipal Assessment Register or as was realised on the 1st day of January, 1948, whichever is less; or

(ii) where the accommodation was not let out on or before the 1st day of January, 1948, the rent of that accommodation as shown in the Municipal Assessment Register or as could be realised on the 1st day of January, 1948, whichever is less ; increased-

(a) in the case of a residential accommodation and accommodation used for education purposes, by thirty-five per cent of such rent;

(b) in the case of other accommodation, by seventy per cent of such rent; and

(c) in case the tenant is not liable to pay the municipal tax and there has been any increase in municipal tax subsequent to 1st day of January, 1948, [by an amount equal to such increase]:

Provided that the increase specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) shall be permissible only if the accommodation has been kept in good and tenantable repairs;

(3) in case of accommodation not falling under clause (1) or (2) above,-

(a) if the accommodation is separately assessed to municipal assessment, the annual rent according to such assessment plus fifteen per cent thereon;

(b) if only a part of the accommodation is so assessed, the proportionate amount of the annual rent for the whole accommodation according to such assessment plus fifteen per cent thereon;

(c) if the accommodation is not so assessed,-

(i) the annual rent calculated with reference to the rent agreed upon between the landlord and the tenant when such accommodation is first let out, and if it has not been so let out, to such amount for which it could be let out immediately after its construction was completed; or

(ii) the annual rent calculated on the basis of annual payment of an amount equal to 6¾ per cent per annum of the aggregate amount of the actual cost of construction and the market price of the land comprised in the accommodation on the date of the commencement of the construction; whichever is less.

8. Lawful increase of standard rent in certain cases and recovery of other charges. -

(1) Where a landlord has, at any time, before the commencement of this Act with or without the approval of the tenant or after the commencement of this Act with the written approval of the tenant or of the Rent Controlling Authority, incurred expenditure for any improvement, addition or structural alteration in the accommodation not being expenditure on decoration or tenantable repairs necessary or usual for such accommodation, and the cost of that improvement, addition or alteration has not been taken into account, in determining the rent of the accommodation, the landlord may lawfully increase the standard rent per year by an amount not exceeding ten per cent of the rent payable, for the time being.

(2) Where a landlord pays in respect of the accommodation any charge for electricity or water consumed in the accommodation or any other charge levied by a local authority having jurisdiction in the area which is ordinarily payable by the tenant, he may recover from the tenant the amount so paid by him, but the landlord shall not save as provided in Section 7, recover from the tenant whether by means of an increase in rent or otherwise, the amount of any tax on building or land imposed in respect of the accommodation occupied by the tenant :

Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall affect the liability of any tenant under an agreement, whether express or implied, to pay from time to time the amount of any such tax as aforesaid.

9. Notice of increase of rent. -

(1) Where a landlord wishes to increase the rent of any accommodation, he shall give the tenant notice of his intention to make the increase and in so far as such increase is lawful under this Act, it shall be due and recoverable only in respect of the period of the tenancy after the expiry of thirty days from the date on which the notice is given.

(2) Every notice under sub-section (1) must be in writing signed by or on behalf of the landlord and either be sent by registered post acknowledgment due to the tenant or be tendered or delivered personally to him, or to one of his family or servants at his residence, or (if such tender or delivery is not practicable) affixed to a conspicuous part of the accommodation.

10. Rent Controlling Authority to fix standard rent, etc. -

(1) The Rent Controlling Authority shall, on an application made to it in this behalf, either by the landlord or by the tenant, in the prescribed manner, fix in respect of any accommodation-

(i) the standard rent in accordance with the provisions of Section 7; or

(ii) the increase, if any, referred to in Section 8.

(2) In fixing the standard rent of any accommodation or the lawful increase thereof, the Rent Controlling Authority shall fix an amount which appears to it to be reasonable having regard to the provisions of Section 7 or Section 8 and the circumstances of the case.

(3) In fixing the standard rent of any accommodation part of which has been lawfully sub-let, the Rent Controlling Authority may also fix the standard rent of the part sub-let.

(4) Where for any reason it is not possible to determine the standard rent of any accommodation on the principles set forth under Section 7, the Rent Controlling Authority may fix such rent as would be reasonable having regard to the situation, locality and condition of the accommodation and the amenities provided therein and where there are similar or nearly similar accommodations in the locality, having regard also to the standard rent payable in respect of such accommodations.

(5) The standard rent shall be fixed for a tenancy of twelve months :

Provided that where the tenancy is from month to month or for any period less than a month, the standard rent for such tenancy shall bear the same proportion to the annual standard rent as the period of tenancy bears to twelve months.

(6) In fixing the standard rent of any accommodation under this Section, the Rent Controlling Authority shall fix the standard rent thereof in an unfurnished state and may also determine an additional charge to be payable on account of any furniture supplied by the landlord and it shall be lawful for the landlord to recover such additional charge from the tenant.

(7) In fixing the standard rent of any accommodation under this Section, the Rent Controlling Authority shall specify a date from which the standard rent so fixed shall be deemed to have effect :

Provided that in no case the date so specified shall be earlier than thirty days prior to the date of the filing of the application for the fixation of the standard rent.

11. Fixation of interim rent. -

If an application for fixing the standard rent or for determining the lawful increase of such rent is made under Section 10, the Rent Controlling Authority shall, pending final decision on the application, make, as expeditiously as possible, a provisional order specifying the amount of the interim rent or lawful increase to be paid by the tenant to the landlord and shall appoint the date from which such interim rent or lawful increase so specified shall be deemed to have effect.