D.C. Code tit. 42 § 42-3207
Refusal to surrender possession; double rent.
Operative Text
If the tenant, after having given notice of his intention to quit as aforesaid, shall refuse, without reasonable excuse, to surrender possession according to such notice, he shall be liable to the landlord for rent at double the rate of rent payable according to the terms of tenancy for all the time that the tenant shall so wrongfully hold over, to be recovered in the same way as the rent accruing before the termination of the tenancy.
Under D.C. Code § 42-3201 et seq. § 42-3207, when a tenant has formally given notice of their intent to vacate but then refuses—without a reasonable excuse—to actually leave by the stated date, that tenant becomes financially liable to the landlord for twice the normal rent rate for every day they continue to occupy the unit beyond the notice date. This doubled rent obligation is treated and collected the same way as ordinary rent owed during the tenancy. The provision creates a financial consequence designed to discourage tenants from going back on their own stated move-out commitments.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers dealing with a holdover situation covered by D.C. Code § 42-3201 et seq. § 42-3207 generally document the tenant's original written notice to quit and track the date on which the tenant was supposed to vacate. Compliant operators typically pursue the double-rent remedy through the same collection channels used for ordinary unpaid rent, rather than treating it as a separate category of damages. Keeping clear records of the original notice and any communications about the holdover period helps support a claim under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
D.C. Code § 42-3201 et seq. § 42-3207 applies specifically to situations where a tenant has voluntarily given notice to quit and then fails to leave on time without a reasonable excuse—it does not apply to every holdover scenario. Tenants who believe they had a legitimate reason for not vacating on the stated date may have grounds to contest the double-rent liability, and raising that excuse as a defense is one path recognized by the provision's own language. Consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with D.C. housing law can help a tenant understand what may qualify as a "reasonable excuse" under this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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