Prohibitions

§ 10. Prohibitions. 1. It shall be unlawful, regardless of any contract, lease or other obligation heretofore or hereafter entered into, for any person to demand or receive any rent for any housing accommodations in excess of the maximum rent or otherwise to do or omit to do any act, in violation of any regulation, order or requirement hereunder, or to offer, solicit, attempt or agree to do any of the foregoing. 2. It shall be unlawful for any person to remove or attempt to remove from any housing accommodations the tenant or occupant thereof or to refuse to renew the lease or agreement for the use of such accommodations, because such tenant or occupant has taken, or proposes to take, action authorized or required by this act or any regulation, order or requirement thereunder. 3. It shall be unlawful for any officer or employee of the commission, or for any official adviser or consultant to the commission, to disclose, otherwise than in the course of official duty, any information obtained under this act, or to use any such information for personal benefit. 4. Nothing in this act shall be construed to require any person to offer any housing accommodations for rent, but housing accommodations already on the rental market may be withdrawn only after prior written approval of the state rent commission, if such withdrawal requires that a tenant be evicted from such accommodations. 5. It shall be unlawful for any landlord or any person acting on his behalf, with intent to cause the tenant to vacate, to engage in any course of conduct (including, but not limited to, interruption or discontinuance of essential services) which interferes with or disturbs or is intended to interfere with or disturb the comfort, repose, peace or quiet of the tenant in his use or occupancy of the housing accommodations.