Rich

Certified for Partial Publication [1]

BENKE, Acting Presiding Justice.

In this case we consider the remedies available to mobilehome park tenants when the owners of the park raise the tenants' rent in retaliation for the tenants' efforts to obtain relief from earlier rent increases.

As we explain in greater detail below, the victims of a retaliatory rent increase, including the tenants of mobilehome parks, are entitled to recover punitive damages under Civil Code [2] section 1942.5. Moreover, because the punitive damages available under section 1942.5 are limited by the terms of the statute, they may be imposed without regard to the landlord's net worth. We also conclude that under section 1942.5 tenants are not required to vacate their premises in order to recover punitive damages for imposition of a retaliatory rent increase and that under the statute the trial court was required to award some of the successful tenants the attorney fees they incurred.

Because the trial court's rulings did not permit the tenants to recover all the amounts permitted under the statute, we reverse the judgment in part and remand the case for further proceedings.

The material facts which give…