Washington D.C. Required Lease Disclosures

The District of Columbia enforces a massive array of mandatory tenant disclosures. Handing a tenant the keys without providing the correct standardized pamphlets and addendums can invalidate an eviction attempt, expose the landlord to fines from the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), and trigger brutal civil liabilities.

Crucial District-Mandated Disclosures

Before or immediately at the time a lease is signed, a D.C. landlord must provide the following:

1. The D.C. Tenant Bill of Rights

By law, the landlord must provide the prospective tenant with a complete, printed (or electronic, if agreed upon) copy of the Washington D.C. Tenant Bill of Rights, published by the Office of the Tenant Advocate (OTA). The tenant must acknowledge receipt of this document.

2. Rent Control and Base Rent Disclosure

For properties subject to Rent Stabilization (nearly all units built before 1976), the landlord must execute a highly specific disclosure outlining:

• The current, legally registered rent ceiling for that exact unit.
• A list of any rent increases implemented over the previous 3-year period.
• Whether the property claims a specific exemption from Rent Control.

3. Move-in Inspection Report

A landlord cannot legally retain a penny of a security deposit for damages unless they provided the tenant with a written, itemized inspection report detailing the exact condition of the premises within 5 days of the tenant moving in.

Structural and Safety Disclosures

1. Federal Lead-Based Paint

If the residential property was constructed prior to 1978, federal law mandates the landlord attach an EPA-approved Lead Hazard Information pamphlet, explicitly disclosing any known presence of lead-based paint on the premises.

2. D.C. Lead Disclosure Form

Beyond the federal mandate, D.C. law specifically requires landlords to complete a proprietary "Lead Warning Statement" that verifies whether the specific unit has been completely cleared of lead hazards by a certified D.C. inspector. Providing this local statutory form is mandatory for pre-1978 buildings.

3. Mold and Indoor Air Quality

Landlords must disclose any visible evidence of indoor mold or any historical instances of severe water intrusion within the past three years. If mold was discovered and professionally remediated, the landlord must provide the tenant with copies of the remediation certificates.

4. Bed Bugs

A landlord must explicitly disclose if the specific rental unit, or any immediately adjacent units within the same building, have suffered from a bed bug infestation within the previous 120 days.

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Automate Your Addendums

Forgetting the D.C. Tenant Bill of Rights or the local Lead Warning Statement can instantly destroy a landlord's legal standing in Superior Court. Landager allows you to bolt mandatory D.C. disclosure packets directly into the digital signature workflow, guaranteeing every tenant undeniably receives and signs off on every statutory mandate.

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