[§521-2]  Purposes; rules of construction. 
(a)  This chapter shall be liberally construed and applied to promote its
underlying purposes and policies.



(b)  The underlying purposes and policies of
this chapter are:



(1)  To simplify, clarify, modernize, and revise the
law governing the rental of dwelling units and the rights and obligations of
landlords and tenants of dwelling units;



(2)  To encourage landlords and tenants to maintain
and improve the quality of housing in this State; and



(3)  To revise the law of residential landlord and
tenant by changing the relationship from one based on the law of conveyance to
a relationship that is primarily contractual in nature. [L 1972, c 132, pt of
§1]