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Landlords and property managers should know Washington, DC LandlordTenant laws when managing a rental property in DC. This video covers everything you need to know about District of Columbia lease laws and Washington, DC Landlord Laws.

A standard, fixedterm District of Columbia Rental Contract is usually for a oneyear (12month) period. Either party can terminate a monthtomonth Lease Agreement with 30 days' notice.

Landlord & Tenant Laws in Washington, DC: Lease Requirements
A Washington, DC rental contract should include basic terms like rent amount, rent due date, lease term, late fee policies, and pet policies. A good Lease is thorough and discusses details such as pest control, snow removal, air filter responsibilities, and yard maintenance.

There are some additional Lease Requirements for Washington, DC Landlords.

LeadBased Paint Disclosure & Pamphlet: For rental units built before 1978, Landlords must provide Tenants with a leadbased paint disclosure and pamphlet.
DC Tenant Bill of Rights: Landlords must provide Tenants with the District of Columbia Tenant Bill of Rights when the Lease is signed.
DC Required Notice to Tenants of Housing Code Provisions: Landlords must provide Tenants with a copy of the DC Required Notice to Tenants of Housing Code Provisions.
Voter Registration Forms: Landlords must provide Tenants with updated voter registration forms.

Washington, DC LandlordTenant Laws
RAD Form 1
Every rental unit in DC must be registered with the Rental Accommodations Division using the RAD Form 1.

Receipts
DC Landlords must provide Tenants with a receipt for all payments, including rent payments and the security deposit.

Washington, DC Security Deposit Regulations
Landlords may charge up to one month’s rent for the security deposit. Within 45 days of the end of the Tenancy, Landlords must either return the security deposit or provide the Tenant with an itemized list of deductions. If there are deductions, Landlords have an additional 30 days to return the remaining funds.

Washington, DC Landlord Entry Laws
Landlords must give at least 48 hours before entering the property for nonemergencies.

District of Columbia Late Fee Requirements
Late fees cannot exceed 5% of the rent and can only be imposed after a 5day grace period. If a Tenant receives government assistance, the late fee can only be applied to the portion paid by the Tenant. The Lease Agreement must discuss late fees.

Renters Insurance in Washington, DC
DC Landlords may not require Tenants to get renters insurance.

District of Columbia Returned Check Fees
No statute limits how much a Landlord can charge for a returned payment fee, but this fee should be reasonably related to the expenses incurred due to the bad check.

DC Increase in Rent Laws
Washington, DC has rent control laws governed by the Rental Housing Act of 1985, which allows one rent increase a year and limits how much rent can be increased. Landlords can review the complete guidelines in the DC Rent Control Factsheet chromeextension://bdfcnmeidppjeaggnmidamkiddifkdib/viewer.html?file=https://dhcd.dc.gov/sites/default/fil....

Washington, DC Tenant and Landlord Laws Landlords’ Responsibilities
Landlord Repair Laws Washington, DC
District of Columbia Landlords must keep rental units in good repair and ensure that essential systems like plumbing, electrical, hot water, and heat work properly.

Tenants Rights Laws Washington, DC
If Landlords fail to make necessary repairs, Tenants have specific rights including the right to withhold rent or “deduct and repair.” Retaliation by the Landlord against Tenants is strictly prohibited.

Evictions in DC
If a Tenant fails to pay rent or violates the Lease Agreement, the Landlord may start the eviction process. In these situations, Landlords must strictly follow Washington, DC law and can never resort to “selfhelp” eviction methods, such as changing locks or shutting off utilities.

Create Your District of Columbia Lease Agreement
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Disclaimer: This video is solely for education purposes. It is not intended to serve as legal advice. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, accuracy, or reliability of any of this information.