What are the laws governing the return of a security deposit after a tenant moves out?

The District of Columbia has specific laws in place to protect the rights of both landlords and tenants when it comes to security deposits. Security deposits are any fees or money that a landlord charges a tenant in anticipation of damages or unpaid rent before the tenant moves out. Under DC law, a landlord must return a tenant’s security deposit within 45 days after the tenant moves out. The landlord must provide the tenant with an itemized list of any damages that were assessed against the security deposit, and a statement of any other fees and charges that were taken from the security deposit. If the landlord does not return the security deposit or an itemized list of damages and other fees and charges within 45 days, the tenant can sue the landlord in small claims court. If the court finds for the tenant, the landlord must not only return the security deposit, but may also be responsible for double the amount of the security deposit, plus court costs and attorney’s fees. Tenants are also responsible for notifying the landlord of their move-out date in writing, as well as providing the landlord with their forwarding address. The landlord must use the forwarding address provided to send the tenant their refund check for any remaining balance on their security deposit. It is important that both tenants and landlords understand their respective rights and comply with the applicable laws related to the return of the security deposit. This helps ensure that all parties are treated fairly and that disputes can be avoided or resolved quickly and efficiently.

What are the laws governing the return of a security deposit after a tenant moves out?

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