Washington DC

Landlords' Rights and Responsibilities

Legal Information

• 30 Day Notice to Quit - Nonpayment of Rent

  A fillable form with instructions, in both English and Spanish The 30-day nonpayment notice to quit is required before you may file an eviction lawsuit against your tenant based on the tenant’s failure to pay rent unless your tenant gave up the right to receive this notice in writing, usually in a written lease. Content Detail

  By:

  D.C. Housing Regulation Administration

• Evicting Unwanted Guests Self-Help Packet

  This document provides information about the legal process for evicting people who are not tenants, but instead guests who refuse to leave. It includes frequently asked questions, sample forms, and fillable forms, as well as links to other resources. Content Detail

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center

• Filing Answers and Counterclaims in Landlord and Tenant Court

  Explains what an answer is, whether a tenant is required to file an answer, the differences among counterclaims, recoupments, and setoffs, and what a tenant should consider before filing any of them. Read More

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Filing Motions in Landlord and Tenant Court

  Frequently asked questions that explain the process involved in filing motions, filing fees, serving other parties, and what you should do if you receive a motion. Read More

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Form 4A in Spanish

  Spanish translation of Form 4A in PDF format. Content Detail

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program

• Form 4B in Spanish

  This is a translation of Form 4B into Spanish. Content Detail

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program

• Frequently Asked Questions About Domestic Violence and Rental Housing for Landlords

  If you are a landlord and your tenant is the victim of domestic violence, you may have certain obligations to meet at the request of the tenant. To learn what is considered "domestic violence" under D.C. law, see the resource titled Frequently Asked Questions About Domestic Violence. Read More

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center

• Frequently Asked Questions by Landlords

  This resource provides information important for Landlords who are renting a residential apartment or house in the District of Columbia, including information about their responsibilities, raising the rent, security deposits and eviction proceedings. Read More

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center

  Read this in:

  Amharic / አማርኛ

  Spanish / Español

  French / Français

• Frequently Asked Questions: Evicting Guests, Roommates, Family Members, and Other Unwanted Occupants from Your Home

  Frequently Asked Questions about evicting non-tenant guests from your home. This includes unwelcome roommates and family members, but does NOT include renters and subletters. Read More

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center

• Guided Interview: Landlord Eviction Assistant

  This document provides a link to an interactive interview that is designed to help landlords begin or continue the eviction process. You may use this interview if you are a landlord who does not have an attorney and you wish to evict a tenant from a rental unit for failing to pay the rent or violating the lease and/or housing code. Read More

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center

• Indoor Mold Assessment and Remediation

  DC Department of Energy & Environment guidance about mold problems in rental properties and how to deal with them. Content Detail

  By:

  D.C. Department of Energy & Environment

• Initial Return Dates - Your First Day in Court

  Explains how to find out when a tenant is required to appear in Landlord and Tenant Court, what to expect when the tenant goes to Court, and what to do if the tenant cannot attend on the assigned date. Read More

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Judgments, Writs, and Evictions - Information for Landlords

  Discusses the procedures a landlord is required to follow to have a tenant evicted from a residential rental property. Read More

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Landlords: Evictions and Defenses

  This resource contains information for landlords about proper grounds for eviction and starting eviction proceedings. Read More

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Landlords: Going to Court

  This resource contains information for landlords about going to court in an eviction case. It discusses court proceedings, possible responses by tenants, tenant defenses, protective orders and court fees, and settlements. Read More

  By:

  D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español