5289
MONTGOMERY COUNTY

29-59. Rent reductions.

a.    Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Article, the rent charged for any dwelling unit may
be reduced where services or equipment rightfully due to
the tenant are being withheld without good cause or the
landlord or owner of the dwelling unit has unilaterally
changed the conditions which existed at the time of the
establishment of the then current rent. The amount of a
rent reduction shall be commensurate with the loss of
services or equipment or the change in conditions, as the
case may be.

b.    If the landlord or owner does not effect
a reduction in rent upon the request of a tenant, the
tenant may file a written complaint with the Office of
Landlord—Tenant Affairs. Such a complaint shall be
investigated according to the provisions of Section 29—34
of this Chapter, and is subject to all the administrative
proceedings provided in this Chapter.

29—60. Forgiveness of rent and discounts.

A forgiveness of any rent payment or any
discount of any rent payment that may have been allowed
daring the period of a lease or occupancy of a dwelling
unit shall not be taken into consideration for the
purpose of increasing rent.

29—61. Non—monthly payments.

No landlord may charge a tenant a non—monthly
payment in excess of the amount of such a payment paid in
connection with the lease for the tenant's dwelling unit
in effect on December 31, 1972. However, if the
customary practice of the landlord before December 31,
1972 (as shown specifically and affirmatively by his
records), was to increase the amount of a non—monthly
payment when the rent was increased, this practice may be
continued. If continued, the ratio of the current
non—monthly payment to the monthly rent which may be
charged under the provisions of this Article may not
exceed the ratio of such a payment last charged in
connection with the lease for the dwelling unit which was
in effect on December 31, 1972, to the monthly rent
charged under that lease. As to dwelling units located
in rental facilities, if no lease for such a dwelling
unit was in effect on December 31, 1972, no non—monthly
payment may be charged in excess of similar payments made
under leases for comparable dwelling units in the same
rental facility. As to dwelling units which are
one—family dwellings, semidetached dwellings, or town
houses, if no lease for the dwelling unit was in effect
on December 31, 1972, no non-monthly payment may be