DC's Rental Housing Act prohibits landlords from threatening, intimidating, or constructively evicting tenants through utility shutoffs, false eviction notices, or sustained pressure aimed at forcing tenants out.
DC Code 42-3505.02 and the Tenant Bill of Rights forbid a landlord from intentionally interfering with a tenant's quiet enjoyment to induce vacancy. Prohibited conduct includes shutting off heat, water, or electricity; refusing to make required repairs; entering without proper notice; making repeated buyout demands after a tenant has declined; serving baseless eviction notices; or threatening immigration reports. Affected tenants may file complaints with the DC Office of the Tenant Advocate or the Rental Accommodations Division and may seek injunctive relief and damages. The Attorney General can also pursue civil penalties on behalf of harassed tenants, particularly in rent-stabilized buildings.
Landlords face civil penalties, treble damages, attorney fees, and potential criminal charges for utility shutoffs; harassment in rent-controlled units carries enhanced penalties under the Rental Housing Act.
Washington, DC
DC provides strong just-cause eviction protections under the Rental Housing Act (DC Code Section 42-3505.01). Landlords may only evict tenants for specific e...
Washington, DC
DC has one of the strongest rent control programs in the United States under the Rental Housing Act of 1985 (DC Code Section 42-3501.01 et seq.). Rent increa...
See how Washington's tenant anti-harassment rules stack up against other locations.
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