What are the laws regarding locking tenants out of their rental properties?
In the District of Columbia, landlords are not allowed to lock tenants out of their rental properties. Instead, they must follow the legal process for evicting tenants if they wish to do so. The primary law dictating the eviction process in the District of Columbia is the Tenant Remedies Act. This law outlines how landlords may put into effect the eviction process. It states that if a tenant fails to pay rent on time, the landlord must serve a notice to the tenant which specifies the amount of rent owed and a period of no more than 30 days for the tenant to either pay the rent or move out. If the tenant does not take action within this time frame, the landlord can then file an eviction lawsuit with the court. The tenant will then be served with a summons and a copy of the complaint. Following this, the court will hold a hearing during which both the tenant and the landlord can make their cases. If the court rules in favor of the landlord, then the tenant will be issued an eviction notice and will have three days to vacate the property. It is important to note that, under the Tenant Remedies Act, landlords are strictly prohibited from locking out tenants or cutting off essential services (e.g. heat, water, electricity) as a means of removing them from the rental property. This illegal action is referred to as a “self-help eviction” and can result in significant legal consequences for the landlord.
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