Can owner make renter pay multiple contracts

[jaredk1]

Please Help! When I moved into my apartment last April 08, I had to pay the lawyer who runs the office $1500RD for the 6 month contract to get in the place. Now they want me to pay $2000RD to renew it. All of the changes they are planning are to their benefit. For example they want to install propane to the apartment and charge $500RD a month (I currently spend about $200 a month). Also they had already removed cable from the building, and want to now take the responsibility of providing it out of the contract. Also in the last contract they paid electricity and expect they will want to take that away too.
What are my rights?
Can they force me to pay for a contract that they make in their best interests?
If I don't sign, and just keep paying rent as usual, will they have the right to turn off electricity?
Thank you for your help,
jared

[MikeFisher]

welcome to the bord, Jared.
if your contract expires and you do not renew it i guess they can rent the place to someone else. what does your contract state in case of renewing it/finishing it aso?
Mike

[Texas Bill]

jaredk1;

It would seem that they have the opinion that once you are hooked and in the place, they have the prerrogative to screw you anyway they want.
Find another apartment andgive them the finger. If they are doing this now, no telling how much they will gouge you in the future over nothing at all, including doubling the rent.
It seems that they had all this in mind when you rented the place to begin with; just waited to strike. Obviously they have no scruples to begin with and that means if you stay there they'll find other ways to get your money.
Don't play their game. Just give them the finger and walk away.

Texas Bill

[jaredk1]

Thank you for your comments. According to internet research I expect I can just stay in the apartment and not pay new contract. (see- Dominican Republic Landlord and Tenant - Rent controls favors tenants) But I'm not looking to be a squatter, just want to know if they have the right to charge me for new contracts every 6 months that does nothing for me, and will probably take him (the lawyer runs the office) all of 15 minutes to change. Also curious if he can force me to use his propane.
thanks,
jared

[MikeFisher]

a lawyer fee for a rental contract of 1500 pesos is a absolutely usual rate.
if you always do just 6 months contracts i would say you need a new contract every 6 months.
you can also do a contract which does not expire every 6 months.
in your specific case by the mentioned trouble described above i would highly recommend to take the advice given by TexasBill above, move to an other place.
at the moment your contract expires means you do not have a written contract which states what is included in your rent and what not.
they wanna kick you around?, yes, they can and will. the first and easiest point for them is that they will no longer pay the electricity for your appartment, so the elec company will cut you off. that means you pay or you stay in the dark.
fighting them/him with or without a legal thing in your hands will never bring you a comfo stay there.
look for a new place.
Mike