Washington, DC repairs

Do this today

• Write the problem. Date it. Keep photos.
• Open a request with DC Department of Housing and Community Development or dial 311.
• Do not skip rent until legal aid has read the process for your state.

Who inspects a Washington, DC rental?

DC Department of Housing and Community Development is the local conditions door, and 311 is often how you open a request. An inspector’s dated notice is a different kind of paper than a text to the manager. DC law is the whole local stack. Neighboring Maryland and Virginia counties are different jurisdictions.

Can I stop paying rent to force the repair?

Sometimes District of Columbia law provides a repair-and-deduct or rent-withholding process, and sometimes skipping rent is grounds for eviction. That line is in District of Columbia residential tenancy statutes. Ask legal aid before you change what you pay.

Who do I call in DC — 311, DHCD, OTA, or court?

311 opens City requests. DHCD handles much of the rent-stabilization stack. The Office of Tenant Advocate helps tenants navigate. Superior Court is where a possession case is heard. Match the paper to the door.

The Washington, DC layer

DC law is the whole local stack. Neighboring Maryland and Virginia counties are different jurisdictions.

District of Columbia residential tenancy statutes (D.C. Code §§ 42-3201 to 42-3651.08) is the District of Columbia floor. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.

Washington, DC questions

National answers on this desk

• Is a landlord notice the same as being evicted?
• What number should I call right now?
• Is there a national tenant-rights law in the United States?
• What should I do if I get an eviction notice?
• How do I find free legal help as a renter?
• Can my landlord enter without notice?