Section 7

Where such landlord and tenant at the conclusion of such negotiation come into an agreement, the fair rent so agreed upon by them shall be reduced into writing and shall be binding upon both of them.

Where such landlord and tenant cannot come into an agreement within one month from the date when such negotiation began, either party may request a Rent Officer of the area where the controlled premises in question is situated to determine the fair rent thereof, and the said Rent Officer shall within one month of the date of such request determine the fair rent so requested.

The function of a Rent Officer shall be advisory only and the fair rent determined by him shall not be binding upon either party, unless accepted by both parties within one month from the date when it was determined; and every such acceptance shall be reduced into writing.

Where the fair rent determined by a Rent Officer under this section is not accepted by either party within one month of the date on which it was determined or where a Rent Officer is for any reason unable to determine the fair rent within one month of the date on which the request to determine the fair rent was made to him, he shall forthwith issue to both parties a certificate (in this Act referred to as "a certificate of dispute") stating that there exists in respect of the controlled premises in question a dispute between the landlord and the tenant as to the amount of fair rent thereof.

Upon receipt of a certificate of dispute, either party may apply for the determination thereof to the Tribunal for the area where the controlled premises in question is situated; and the fair rent so determined by the Tribunal shall, unless reversed on an appeal made under section 15, be binding upon both parties and such fair rent shall take effect on the first day of the month following the date when application to settle the dispute was made to the Tribunal.