D.C. Code tit. 42 § 42-3505.03
Conciliation and arbitration service.
Operative Text
(a) There is established a conciliation and arbitration service (“service”) within the Division. (b) The service shall provide a voluntary, nonadversarial forum for the resolution of disputes arising between housing providers and tenants in the District. (c) The staff of the service shall be designated by the Rent Administrator and shall be persons familiar with the problems of the law relating to housing-provider and tenant relations and with knowledge of conciliation and arbitration practices. (d) Either a housing provider or a tenant may initiate a proceeding before the service. (e) No person shall be compelled to attend a session of the service or participate in any proceeding before its staff. The results of any proceeding shall not be binding upon any party, except (1) to the extent provided in § 42-3505.04 , or (2) with respect to a conciliation agreement, to the extent that a party to the proceeding agrees to be bound by the conciliation agreement. No evidence pertaining to a conciliation or arbitration proceeding shall be admissible in any judicial proceeding under other provisions of law relating to housing-provider and tenant disputes.
D.C. Code § 42-3505.03 establishes a voluntary conciliation and arbitration service within the Rental Housing Division to help resolve disputes between housing providers and tenants in the District of Columbia. Either party may initiate a proceeding, but no one can be forced to participate, and outcomes are generally not binding unless a party agrees to be bound by a conciliation agreement or as otherwise provided under § 42-3505.04. Notably, anything said or presented during these proceedings cannot be used as evidence in a separate court or legal proceeding related to housing disputes.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under D.C. Code § 42-3505.03, housing providers have access to a no-cost, voluntary forum to address disputes with tenants without immediately resorting to formal litigation. Operators who use the service typically document any conciliation agreement carefully, since that agreement can become binding if they consent to it. Because statements made during proceedings are inadmissible in later judicial actions, participation generally does not create evidentiary risk in subsequent court matters.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
D.C. Code § 42-3505.03 gives tenants the right to initiate a conciliation or arbitration proceeding against a housing provider through the Rental Housing Division's service, entirely on a voluntary basis. Tenants are not required to participate, and nothing shared during the process can later be used against them in court. Those interested in exploring this option or understanding how it interacts with other rights may consider contacting the D.C. Office of the Tenant Advocate or a local tenant-rights organization for general information.
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 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation