Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in District of Columbia?
No. In District of Columbia, a housing provider may not retaliate against a tenant for exercising a legal right, and a court presumes retaliation, rebuttable only by clear and convincing evidence, if within the previous six months the tenant requested repairs, contacted housing officials, lawfully withheld rent, joined a tenant organization, sought to enforce the lease, or sued the housing provider. Separately, the federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to threaten or interfere with anyone for exercising fair housing rights. This is D.C. Code § 42-3505.02.
| What | District of Columbia |
|---|---|
| Retaliation by a landlord | Prohibited by statute |
| Time period in the statute | Presumed within 6 months |
| How the period works | Retaliation is presumed if the landlord acts within it |
Source
D.C. Code § 42-3505.02
Read the statute in the Code of the District of Columbia (DC Council): code.dccouncil.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
When an owner prepares an eviction in Seayora, it lists any repair request opened on the unit in the last 180 days that is still open, not to stop the case but because the tenant will raise retaliation and the owner should have an answer. Every repair request keeps the date it was filed.
Guides on this rule
- D.C. Landlord-Tenant Law After the RENTAL Act: 2026 Guide — Washington, D.C. rules for 2026: the 10-day nonpayment notice and $600 floor, the 5% late fee cap, rent control caps of 4.1% and 2.1%, deposits and TOPA.
- Landlord Retaliation Laws: Protected Tenant Acts and Time Limits — When an eviction, rent increase or cut in services is presumed retaliatory: 180 days in California, six months in Texas, a year in New York.
Compare this rule in every state
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