14 DCMR § 14-4802
REVIEW OF PETITION
Operative Text
4802.1 The Attorney General shall complete the review of the petition and complaint within 7 days of their receipt. The period of review may be extended with the consent of the petitioner. 4802.2 If the Attorney General determines that a petition and complaint are complete, the affected tenant, resident, or resident association may file the complaint with the Court to commence an action pursuant to section 1303 of the Act. 4802.3 If the Attorney General determines that either a petition or complaint is incomplete, a notice of the deficiencies shall be mailed to the affected tenant, resident, or resident association at the address contained in the complaint. The petitioner may not file the proposed complaint until the deficiencies have been corrected and resubmitted to the Attorney General and the Attorney General has made a determination that all deficiencies have been cured. The Attorney General shall complete the review of any resubmitted petition and complaint within 7 days of their receipt. The period of review may be extended with the consent of the petitioner. 4802.4 A determination that a petition and complaint are complete and that they may be filed with the Court shall not prohibit the Attorney General from moving the Court to join the District of Columbia or any other party so authorized by the Act as a co-plaintiff to the complaint, or from moving the Court to intervene in the case commenced by the complaint at a later time.
Under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-4802, the District of Columbia Attorney General is required to review a housing-related petition and complaint within seven days of receipt, a window that can be extended only with the petitioner's agreement. If the submission is found complete, the affected tenant, resident, or resident association may then file the complaint in court to begin a formal legal action. If deficiencies are found, the petitioner receives written notice and must correct and resubmit the materials before court filing is permitted; the Attorney General retains the option to later join or intervene in any resulting court action as a co-plaintiff.
Plain English — not legal advice.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-4802 establishes a pre-filing review process administered by the Attorney General that governs how tenant or resident complaints move toward court. Property owners and managers should be aware that once a complaint clears this review and is filed in court, the Attorney General may also seek to join the action as a co-plaintiff or intervene at a later stage. Operators who maintain thorough records and comply with applicable housing regulations are generally better positioned to respond if a complaint progresses through this process.
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. § 14-4802 outlines the steps a tenant, resident, or resident association must follow before a housing complaint can be filed in court, including an Attorney General review that must be completed within seven days of submission. If the Attorney General identifies deficiencies in the petition or complaint, a notice is mailed to the address listed in the complaint, and the materials must be corrected and resubmitted before court filing is allowed. Tenants navigating this process may benefit from consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with D.C. housing law to help ensure submissions are complete and timely.
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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