14 DCMR § 14-302
VOIDING LEASE FOR VIOLATION OF REGULATIONS
Operative Text
302.1 The leasing of any habitation which, at the beginning of the tenancy, is unsafe or unsanitary due to violations of this subtitle in that habitation or in the common space of the premises (whether or not those violations are the subject of a notice issued under this subtitle) of which the owner has knowledge or reasonably should have knowledge, shall render void the lease or rental agreement for the habitation. 302.2 After the beginning of the tenancy, if the habitation becomes unsafe or unsanitary due to violations of this subtitle in that habitation or in the common space of the premises (whether or not the violations are the subject of a notice issued under this subtitle), the lease or rental agreement for the habitation shall be rendered void if both of the following apply: (a) The violations did not result from the intentional acts or negligence of the tenant or his or her invitees; and (b) The violations are not corrected within the time allowed for correction under a notice issued under this subtitle (or, if a notice has not been issued, within a reasonable time after the owner has knowledge or reasonably should have knowledge of the violations).
Under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-302, a lease or rental agreement can be rendered void when a housing unit is unsafe or unsanitary due to housing code violations at the start of a tenancy that the owner knew or should have known about. If unsafe or unsanitary conditions arise after the tenancy begins, the lease may also be voided, provided the violations were not caused by the tenant or their guests and were not corrected within the time allowed under a notice—or within a reasonable time if no notice was issued. This rule applies regardless of whether the violations have been formally cited by a housing authority.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-302 generally conduct thorough inspections of both individual units and common areas before a new tenancy begins, ensuring that no known housing code violations exist at move-in. Compliant operators also maintain systems for promptly identifying and remedying code violations that arise during a tenancy, acting within any notice-prescribed correction period or within a reasonable timeframe when no formal notice has been issued. Keeping documented records of inspections, repairs, and communications about habitability conditions is a practice commonly associated with compliance 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. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-302 establishes that tenants may have grounds to challenge the validity of their lease if a unit was unsafe or unsanitary due to code violations at the time they moved in and the owner knew or should have known about those conditions. If conditions deteriorate after move-in through no fault of the tenant or their guests, and the owner fails to correct violations in a timely manner, the lease may similarly be rendered void. Tenants who believe this provision applies to their situation may consider contacting the D.C. Department of Buildings, reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization, or exploring whether the voided-lease status can be raised as a defense in a housing proceeding.
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.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation