Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958
27. Deposit of rent by the tenant. -
(1) Where the landlord does not accept any
rent tendered by the tenant within the time referred to in section 26 of
refuses or neglects to deliver a receipt referred to therein or where there is
a bona fide doubt as to the person or persons to whom the rent is payable, the
tenant may deposit such rent with the Controller in the prescribed manner:
[Provided that in case where there is a
bona fide doubt as to the person or persons to whom the rent is payable, the
tenant may remit such rent to the Controller by postal money order.]
(2) The deposit shall be accompanied by an
application by the tenant containing the following particulars, namely:-
(a) the premises for
which the rent is deposited with a description sufficient for identifying the
premises;
(b) the period for
which the rent is deposited;
(c) the name and
address of the landlord or the person or persons claiming to be entitled to
such rent;
(d) the reasons and
circumstances for which the application for depositing the rent is made;
(e) such other
particulars as may be prescribed.
(3) On such deposit of the rent being made,
the Controller shall send in the prescribed manner a copy or copies of the
application to the landlord or persons claiming to be entitled to the rent with
an endorsement of the date of the deposit.
(4) If an application is made for the
withdrawal of any deposit of rent, the Controller shall, if satisfied that the
applicant is the person entitled to receive the rent deposited, order the
amount of the rent to be paid to him in the manner prescribed:
Provided that no order for payment of any
deposit of rent shall be made by the Controller under this sub-section without
giving all persons named by he tenant in his application under sub-section (2)
as claiming to be entitled to payment of such rent being decided by a court of
competent jurisdiction.
(5) If at the time of filing the application under
sub-section (4), but not after the expiry of thirty days from receiving the
notice of deposit, the landlord or the person or persons claiming to be
entitled to the rent complains or complain to the Controller that the
statements in the tenant’s application of the reasons and circumstances which
led him to deposit the rent are untrue, the Controller, after giving the tenant
an opportunity of being heard, may levy on the tenant a fine which may extend
to an amount equal to two months’ rent, if the Controller is satisfied that the
said statements were materially untrue and may order that a sum out of the fine
realized be paid to the landlord as compensation.
(6) The Controller may, on the complaint of
the tenant and after giving an opportunity to the landlord of being heard, levy
on the landlord a fine which may extend to an amount equal to two months’ rent,
if the Controller is satisfied that the landlord, without any reasonable cause,
refused to accept rent though tendered to him within the time referred to in
section 26 and may further order that a sum out of the fine realized be paid to
the tenant as compensation.