D.C. Code tit. 42 § 42-3219
Representatives of life tenant may recover proportion of rent from under-tenant.
Operative Text
Where any tenants for life shall happen to die before or on the day, on which any rent was reserved or made payable upon any demise or lease of any lands, tenements, or hereditaments, which determined on the death of such tenant for life, the executors or administrators of such tenant for life shall and may in an action on the case recover of and from such under-tenant or under-tenants of such lands, tenements, or hereditaments, if such tenant for life dies on the day on which the same was made payable the whole, or if before such day then a proportion, of such rent according to the time such tenant for life lived, of the last year, or quarter of a year or other time in which the said rent was growing due as aforesaid, making all just allowances or a proportionable part thereof respectively.
Under D.C. Code § 42-3201 et seq. § 42-3219, when a life tenant—someone who holds a property interest only for the duration of their life—dies on or before the date rent was due from an under-tenant, the deceased life tenant's estate (through executors or administrators) retains the right to collect rent. If the life tenant died on the exact due date, the full rent amount may be recovered; if they died before that date, only a proportionate share corresponding to the time they were alive during that rental period may be collected. This rule ensures that rent accrued during a life tenant's lifetime does not simply disappear upon their death but instead flows to their estate.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners or managers dealing with life tenancy arrangements should be aware that D.C. Code § 42-3201 et seq. § 42-3219 governs how rent obligations are handled when a life tenant dies mid-period. Under-tenants (subtenants holding under the life tenant's lease) generally remain liable for at least a proportionate share of rent accrued up to the life tenant's date of death. Compliant operators typically maintain clear records of rental periods and payment schedules so that any proportionate calculation can be made accurately if a life tenant's estate asserts a claim.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
If you are an under-tenant whose tenancy was created by a life tenant who has since died, D.C. Code § 42-3201 et seq. § 42-3219 establishes that the life tenant's estate may have a legal claim against you for rent that accrued up to the date of death. Understanding whether you owe the full period's rent or only a proportionate share depends on when exactly the life tenant died relative to the rent due date. Tenants in this situation may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid service to understand how this provision applies to their circumstances.
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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